German-Japanese feature film by Wim Wenders
Hirayama seems perfectly content with his very simple life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo and devotes his free time to literature, music and photography. However, a series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal his own past to him. He begins to understand the reasons why the simplicity of his daily life gives him the happiness he longs for.
The toilet facilities that Hirayama cleans were actually built for the planned Summer Olympics in Japan. A total of 17 toilet facilities were built according to plans by internationally renowned architects and designers.
To make this art project better known, the German director Wim Wenders was invited to make a documentary film about the toilets. However, Wenders decided to make a feature-length film instead.
This was followed in 2024 by an Oscar nomination for Best International Film for Japan.
