Japan House

The most advanced public loo in London is Japan House! The control panel had 11 buttons, the usual buttons are two leftmost buttons on the top surface; if you inadvertently use other buttons, you are up to an adventure! (Luckily, I have got it right from the first time) In addition to this experience, Japan House hosts very interesting (and free) exhibitions that showcase Japanese art and traditional crafts in the basement, a gift shop on the ground floor and a restaurant on the top floor.

We've now been to 3 free exhibitions here and it's been amazing every time. The building's accessible with a lift if you need it, very friendly and enthusiastic staff and clean toilets! The exhibition space itself isn't the biggest, but I'm always impressed by how they curate and maximize the space to make it feel much larger than it is. It's never a quick 5 minute display, there's always lots to see and read - we usually end up spending close to an hour looking around. Highly recommend a visit!

Thanks to the heavy rain, it is such an enjoyable visit at the Japan House in Kensington High Street. The matcha tea is heavenly, the merchandise brings one an authentic feel of any city in Japan. The artworks and the free exhibition is truly engaging and mentally-boggling. The restaurant brings you to Japan without setting foot on a plane. Unique gift items from regions in Japan are presented in a relatable and curated manner. If you're in Kensington it is definitely a must-visit for the cultural and curious mind. A small detail, if you've seen in movies about these high-tech yet sustainable toilets and you're wondering how it is, on the basement level you'll get to experience how to use one.

Visited Japan House for the first time for the Wave Art Exhibition. The place was immaculately presented and the staff for the exhibition itself were lovely. There was a cafe there which looked so inviting. The exhibition itself was well worth the visit and I spent about 45 mins studying the art. Well outside my knowledge of art but it helps to keep the brain active.

I really appreciate the existence of this place in the heart of London. Here, you get a glimpse of Japan. The cafe is placed opposite to the entrance with there are different seating areas around it. On the same floor, you can shop different Japanese products and view displays of different items used in the Japanese kitchen. Restaurant is upstairs and the exhibition is downstairs. Don’t forget to try the smart Japanese toilet with its fun technology before you end your visit 😁

Very cool spot. There is a great exhibition on contemporary graphic artists in Japan at the moment, the shop itself is also arranged like a little museum exhibition, including the beautiful shelves, lighting, and some labels. It’s an interesting way to show cultural production of Japan and the manufacturers while offering some high-end products. Another great feature is a small library on -1 level. Not the largest, but the books are high quality. There are even some big wacky toilets downstairs which smell fresh.

The Japanese Silk Braiding exhibition in currently on, and wow. It was really fantastic to see the techniques used. Really lovely examples on show, so intricate - really blown away. We spent around 30-45 minutes here. The main exhibition space is downstairs but lots to see on the ground floor too. They have a tourist information desk at the back too which is useful to know (I think it's by appointment only).