In Japan, you’ll sometimes find extremely classy restrooms in surprising places, like sparkling-clean highway rest stops. But does that same metric apply to locations that you would expect to have swanky bathroom facilities?
It does in the case of the Takarazuka Grand Theater, home of the famous all-female Takarazuka Revue, which not only has an opulent restroom waiting for its guests, but also an extremely enlightened ratio of male to female bathroom stalls.
The Takarazuka Revue has been entertaining audiences for over 100 years now, and is famous for two things. First, all roles all played by female performers, in a sort of reverse of kabuki’s men-only policy. Second, the costumes, sets, and stories are unabashed spectacles of dramatic bombast.
▼ Promotional images for two of Takarazuka’s upcoming shows
Even if the aesthetic isn’t to everyone’s tastes, there’s no denying that Takarazuka’s look is meticulously crafted. This is, after all, the same theatre unit that has a 25-item list of things a beautiful woman should never do. So it’s only fitting that the Takarazuka Grand Theater’s restroom lounge is as ornately elegant as the plays it puts on.
https://twitter.com/otyaduke00/status/6361075662887567362014年初の宝塚大劇場にきました。トイレ(パウダールーム)がかわいくなっていてびっくり。宝塚よね~♪大劇場を後に今から梅田に出ます。 pic.twitter.com/vghdazMbCa
— ののぱんだ (@pannoda) February 11, 2014
For passionate Takarazuka fans, a trip to the theater is a rare opportunity to see their favorite stars up close and personal, and to be seen by their idols as well. The ladies’ room is thus equipped with makeup tables and mirrors to help them put as much effort into their appearance as the women on stage do into theirs.
ベルサイユにトイレあったら、こんなんやろな〜@宝塚大劇場 pic.twitter.com/5MwkqxdjWU
— kiku (@mizuryu_k) June 24, 2014
宝塚はトイレも凄い。お客様の夢を守ることが徹底されとるよね。 pic.twitter.com/KnfYN7rpGi
— テクさん。 (@mn072727) March 26, 2014
Even the entrance to the bathrooms pays homage to the troupe’s tradition of having women play male roles, with markers for the men’s room have a subtly feminine look to them.
https://twitter.com/shikakui_kao/status/494518382973026308 https://twitter.com/yorozu_23/status/653026118354628609But while the theater does have a men’s room, the ratio of women to men in the audience of a Takarazuka performance tends to be only slightly less lopsided than that of the all-female cast. Because of that, the ladies’ room is designed with far more capacity than the men’s.
▼ 63 women’s stalls vs. two men’s stalls and three urinals
劇場やライブハウスは女子トイレが足りなくてかわいそうですが、宝塚はさすがに女性への配慮ができている。 pic.twitter.com/coOt3oLPNn
— エセ (@ese19731107) March 31, 2015
That way fans can spend more time in their seats watching the rest of the show, as opposed to admiring the restroom’s stylish interior as they wait for a stall to open up.
Source: Hachima Kiko, Twitter/@ese19731107
Insert images: Takarazuka Revue official website


All-female Final Fantasy musical stage play coming from Japan’s Takarazuka troupe
Japan’s all-female Takarazuka Revue to perform in U.S.A. this summer
Anime’s greatest pervert inspires all-female stage play in Japan with Takarazuka City Hunter
Anime music legend Yoko Kanno to compose music for Japan’s Takarazuka all-female revue
Our reporter breaks her Takarazuka virginity with an all-female performance of City Hunter
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Coco’s Japan is very confident in their chilled ramen, but should they be? [Taste test]
Tokyo’s Haneda Airport airlines announce stricter luggage check-in deadline for domestic flights
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon comes to McDonald’s Japan for new Happy Meals toys, brings every generation’s starters
7-Eleven Japan rethinks convenience store sandwiches with a wild new choc-mint variety
Studio Ghibli’s No Face twirls to sound of Spirited Away’s theme song in beautiful accessory box
Is covering your entire upper body with cooling strips enough to fend off Japan’s summer heat?
Sanrio characters join forces with your favorite Japanese snack mascots as prizes at Family Mart
Sweet dreams are made of cheese at this all-you-can-eat cheese and doria restaurant
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever gacha capsule toys, featuring iconic menu items as plush coffee charms
7-Eleven Japan adds new chocolate fruit gummies to its sweets range, but are they worth the hype?
Kyoto receives more foreign tourists than ever before, but fewer visitors say they’ll return
7-Eleven Japan now offering baked-in-store pizza by the slice with two very different topping sets
Starbucks Japan opens new store inside historic seaside quarantine station near Tokyo
Foreign tourists in Japan eat far more rice than previously thought, according to new data
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Uniqlo looks back to the very start of Pokémon with new black-and-white pixel art T-shirts[Pics]
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Live-action Castlevania all-female stage adaptation reveals first photo of Alucard and Maria
Takarazuka musical theater fans might be the nicest in the world, according to Japanese Twitter
Japan’s famous all-female theater company lists the ’25 marks of ugly women’