Wim Wenders and Yakusho Kōji Take Film to the Toilet with “Perfect Days”

The first project completed was the Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park toilet designed by architect Ban Shigeru in Yoyogi. The glass becomes opaque when the toilet is in use. (© Eirei Ken; courtesy Nippon Foundation)

Perfect Days Director Wim Wenders. (© Peter Lindbergh 2015)

Hirayama’s silent devotion to his cleaning job. (© 2023 Master Mind)

Hirayama’s colleague Takashi (Emoto Tokio) is young and irritating, but also shows surprising depth. (© 2023 Master Mind)

The movie is set in contemporary times, but Hirayama leads a life without television or the internet. (© 2023 Master Mind)

Aya (Yamada Aoi), a love interest of coworker Takashi, enjoys a Patti Smith song on one of Hirayama’s cassette tapes. (© 2023 Master Mind)

Hirayama often bumps into a homeless man (Tanaka Min) in the park (© 2023 Master Mind)

Hirayama’s niece Nico (Nakano Yūsa) visits him. This name should immediately ring a bell for Lou Reed and Velvet Underground fans. (© 2023 Master Mind)

(© 2023 Master Mind)

(© 2023 Master Mind)