Many might think otherwise, but Japan seems to have no qualms about letting a toilet represent the nation at the World Expo in Shanghai in the Japan Industry Pavilion. No ordinary toilet dubbed the “Regio toilet” is a one-of-a-kind gold plated toilet made by Inax Corp. Definitely not for the commoners, this seat meant and affordable only to the privileged few are priced around a few million yen ($20,000 to $40,000). But that is not all. The toilet boasts some high-tech features, including cleaning (it promises to kill all bacteria) and automatically flushing. What is more, while you sit on this royal throne to answer nature’s call, the toilet will even serenade with music courtesy, the built-in digital sound system.
And if you think that Japan’s romance with gold ends there, think again. Just recently, Japan’s MiniStop convenience store held a contest in which three lucky winners got solid-gold cones of soft-serve ice cream, each valued at 300,000 Japanese yen (about USD 3,233). It looks like gold is the new favored flavor in Japan.
[3Yen]
