The vast majority of toilets around the world are utilitarian at best—unadorned spaces meant to be entered and exited as quickly as possible. However, a few rare toilets have transcended nature's call. Here are five of them.

First up is a toilet from the nature of Japan. This women's restroom at Itabe Station in Chiba Prefecture calls itself the "world's largest toilet cubicle." The official name of this toilet is "Toilet in Nature". It was designed by the famous Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto in 2012 and quickly made this unmanned small train station famous across the country.

Sulphur Springs Glass Bathrooms, USA -- Built in 2012 to compete for the title of "Best Toilet in America," these toilets are the first in the country to be made entirely of two-way glass. They are located on the edge of Celebration Plaza in downtown Sulphur Springs. The ceiling of each toilet is also made of two-way mirrored glass, which allows sunlight to illuminate it during the day. At night, an array of LEDs around the base of the structure ensures it remains reflective and private.

Matakana Toilet, New Zealand - designed by Matakana lad Steffan de Haan, the bold transformation of an ordinary public facility into a work of art pays tribute to the importance of shipbuilding to the region. The toilets took seven years and $400,000 to build. Each one is shaped like a human face, echoing the curve of the ship.

Kjærlighetskarusellen (Carousel of Love), Norway – Decades before homosexuality was legalized in Norway, this particular toilet was a gathering place for gay men. In 2022, artist Per Barclay initiated a restoration of the unusual historic sign, incorporating colored lights into the design.

Hundertwasser Toilet, New Zealand - The last project of world-renowned artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser was a set of public toilets in the small town of Kawakawa, New Zealand. The restrooms are covered in the artist’s signature collages of colorful tiles and undulating lines, and the facilities opened in 1999. Recycled bottles and tiles are embedded into the facility's concrete to create psychedelic designs.

The remaining five will be introduced in the next article.