Skip to main content
STORIES

Toronto vs. Japan: A tale of two subway washrooms

The caption includes an action word that describes what is happening in the image and why it's important to the story.
📸 The Green Line.

It was the best of toilets, it was the worst of toilets.

Public washrooms: a haven or a hazard?

From flickering lights to plastic-covered sinks, TTC washrooms tell a story that’s not so glamorous.

My name’s Haruka Ide, and I grew up in Japan, where tidiness in public stalls is almost taken for granted. After moving to Toronto, the contrast was stark.

What I found at Kennedy Station, for example, resembled a scene from a horror movie more than a washroom.

Bird feathers, iron bars, unwelcoming smells — you would be forgiven for thinking washroom maintenance is a forgotten art in one of Canada’s busiest underground transit systems.

As Torontonians, what standards should we expect from public bathrooms?

Listen to these takes from commuters on the TTC, and watch their reactions to subway bathrooms in Japan in the video, above.

Fact-Check Yourself

Sources and
further reading

Don’t take our word for it — check our sources for yourself.

TOronto Transit commission

Washrooms at TTC subway stations

TOTO

Dos and Don'ts in the Japanese bathroom

google maps

Toilet map for Tokyo

Join the conversation

Add your comment

A free Kennedy account lets you comment, save stories, and follow neighbourhoods you care about.