Japanese city lures tourists with 'world's largest toilet'

(Ichihara City)

A little-known industrial city on the outskirts of Japan's capital is hoping to lure in the masses by building the "world's largest toilet."

The Wall Street Journal reports that the city of Ichihara has a public bathroom oasis where one can be in nature while answering its call.

The stall, designed by architect Sou Fujimoto, is a 6.5 tall glass box surrounded by rows of flower boxes set in an outdoor garden.  Unfortunately for the gentlemen, this lavatory is women's only.

There is a curtain that can be pulled should the protective glass encasement feel too transparent as well as another lock for the insecure -- the first lock is the fence door.

"We wanted to welcome tourists with clean toilets," Eichi Kirikae, an official at Ichihara city tourism department told the Journal.

Ichihara City is looking to tourism as a potential new revenue stream but said they needed to update existing toilets. Annual operating costs of the luxurious outhouse, and another bathroom nearby, total $125,300.