A man tasked with preserving Japan’s cultural heritage has done just the opposite after he accidentally drove his car into the country’s oldest toilet.
The toilet is located in a centuries-old Buddhist temple.
Tofukuji Temple in the city of Kyoto houses a toilet said to date back to the 15th century, earning it the designation of an important cultural asset.
But the temple was partially destroyed after the driver, a 30-year-old man from the Kyoto Heritage Preservation Association, accidentally reversed into it on Monday morning.
Having parked in front of the toilet, the man hit the accelerator without realizing he was still in reverse.
The toilets are actually latrines — two rows of pits cut into circular stones.
The toilet was traditionally used by monks as part of their training, although it is no longer in use.
Japan’s oldest toilet at Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto
COMMENTS