Heritage worker crashes car into Japan's oldest toilet in Kyoto

A man, whose job is to protect Japanese heritage, reversed into the ancient communal loo. Photo / Prefectural board of education Kyoto

A heritage worker has accidentally driven into Japan's oldest toilet, crashing his car into the ancient Buddhist temple.

The monk's loo at Tofukuji in Kyoto is one of Japan's designated cultural treasures, dating back over 600 years.

The employee of Kyoto Heritage Preservation reportedly gassed his car, a Toyota WiLL Vi, without realising it was in reverse, according to police reports. The man's name or his role within the heritage organisation were not published.

Deeply embarrassed, the worker called police to report the incident, telling them he had crashed into the ancient latrine.

He was visiting the temple for his job as a conservation worker, according to the Sankei Shimbun newspaper.

Fortunately the car appears to have missed the large long drops, having broken through the doors.

Director of the Tofukuji Research Institute, Toshio Ishikawa, said, "We are stunned by this unprecedentedly large accident."

The latrine was once used by the Komusō 'baseket headed' monks of Kyoto. Photo / Dikokuji Sasayam, Wikimedia Commons

Although the toilet block would be able to be fixed, it would take lots of work.

"We aim to restore it as soon as possible," said Ishikawa.

The tōsu is the large restroom for the monastery into which monks would drop into, between duties. Used by around 100 visitors, the ancient building and impressive wooden pillars guards 20 large holes in the floor. This earned it the nickname "hyakusecchin" or "100 Loo".

Despite the large communal latrines, the komusō or the "Basket-Head Monks" appear surprisingly shy.

The Tofukuji temple was home to a particular school of monks famous for wearing a reed basket over their heads. This was thought to represent an "absence of ego", but also worked as a great disguise. This led to them being formally abolished in the 1900s, however their costume and music have been revived in the 21st century for tourists.