Driver accidentally reverses car into Japan’s oldest-ever toilet
Published on Oct 19, 2022 at 10:43 AM (UTC+4)
by Kate Bain
Last updated on Oct 19, 2022 at 10:43 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A driver has accidentally reversed his Toyota WiLL Vi into a 700-year-old heritage-listed toilet in Japan.
Ironically, the man behind the wheel was actually a worker employed to preserve Japan’s cultural heritage.
The Japanese police say the driver accidentally hit the gas without realizing his car was in reverse.
The outhouse, which is inside a centuries-old Buddhist temple at Tofukuji in Kyoto, dates back to the 15th century.
The structure is essentially a stone row of about 20 circular holes – so the actual ‘toilets’ themselves remain intact while the wall protecting them does not.
In fact, the wall now has a giant Toyota WiLL Vi-sized hole in it.
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Director of the Tofukuji Research Institute Toshio Ishikawa said he was stunned by the amount of damage caused.
The research institute said it would take a lot of work to restore the outhouse to its original state, but it was of utmost importance to them.
“We’d like to restore it before the autumn foliage season, but it will probably take until the new year [to repair it],” Toshio Ishikawa said.
The heritage toilet block was originally built during the Muromachi period, according to the BBC.
It was built for trainee monks who were practicing self-discipline.
About the Toyota WiLL Vi
The Toyota WiLL Vi is a very distinctive four-door saloon.
It was produced for only two years after arriving in January 2000.
And it’s only available in Japan.
The car is the result of Toyota combining neo-retro styling with driving performance.
The Will Vi was also made using recycled material, including shredded pieces of other cars.
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Kate is Lead Editor, overseeing coverage across automotive, tech, and lifestyle content on the site. She has more than 10 years’ experience as a journalist and news editor, having worked across a range of major publications including News Corp, Daily Mail Australia, and Sky News. Kate holds a Bachelor of Business Management from University of Queensland and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from Queensland University of Technology. She has been with Supercar Blondie since 2020 and played a key role in establishing supercarblondie.com as a leading automotive news destination.
