In Pics: Tokyo installs transparent public toilets in parks

The idea of using a public toilet with see-through walls may sound like a "bizarre" concept, but one of Japan's most innovative architects has done just that.

The transparent bathrooms which have been installed in Tokyo's parks aim to make public toilets welcoming and accessible to everyone by allowing people to peek inside it before entering.

The idea of using a public toilet with see-through walls may sound like a "bizarre" concept, but one of Japan's most innovative architects has done just that.

The design by Japan's architect Shigeru Ban aims to tackle the reputation of uncleanliness that often goes hand-in-hand with the facilities.

The transparent bathrooms are part of an initiative by the non-profit Nippon Foundation called the "The Tokyo Toilet Project," which aims to make public toilets welcoming and accessible to everyone by allowing people to peek inside it before entering.

The toilets are built using "smart glass" which is designed to let people peek inside to check if its clean and that no one is lurking inside before using them.

Once someone enters the bathroom and locks the door, the glass instantly turns opaque for complete privacy.Ban's public bathrooms opened to the public earlier this month in two parks: Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park and are already attracting visitors who are eager to see how they work. The Nippon Foundation is redesigning 17 public toilets in Shibuya, one of Tokyo's busiest districts.