Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2010

Consider the commode. “Toilets are kind of like underwear,” runs the blurb for P-Vine Books’ recently released Tokyo Toilet Map. “You can’t live without them, and even though they don’t seem important, some people are really picky.” This compact tome goes out to people like that. Credited to the Tokyo Toilet Research Team, it’s crowded with lavish interior shots of the kind usually reserved for magazine spreads on fancy restaurants or hotels. Maps of areas including Shinjuku, Ginza and Kichijoji point comfort station connoisseurs in the direction of notable latrines, accompanied by articles covering such pertinent topics as the feng shui of toiletry.

¥1,680. Available at all good bookstores