#Japan #Chuo, Tokyo #Vacan #JTA Toilet Award #AirKnock

Celebrating Innovation in Toilet Management: AirKnock

In a remarkable achievement for the technology of public sanitation, Vacan Inc. has been awarded the 2025 JTA Toilet Award for its groundbreaking restroom management service, AirKnock. This recognition, which falls under the maintenance category, highlights AirKnock’s dual approach to alleviating congestion and increasing visibility in public toilets through the power of AI and modern technology.

Overview of the JTA Toilet Award

The Japan Toilet Association (JTA) established the Toilet Award to promote comfortable restroom usage for everyone. The 2025 ceremony, which took place during the 41st National Toilet Symposium on November 10, 2025, reflects the evolution of the award from its roots as the Good Toilet Awards established back in 2009. With a commitment to recognizing superior initiatives in public toilet environments, the JTA aims to ensure that clean and accessible restrooms are a reality for all.

Introducing AirKnock

AirKnock is a next-generation restroom solution designed to enhance the user experience by carefully monitoring the occupancy of toilet stalls in real-time. By leveraging advanced sensors, AirKnock visualizes important data, such as usage times and overall congestion levels, directly on screens placed inside the stalls.

This innovative system shifts the display during peak usage times to encourage a fair and considerate use of the facility, thus simultaneously reducing congestion and lengthy wait times for patrons. Furthermore, AirKnock empowers facilities to deliver essential announcements or advertising messages through these monitors, creating a multi-functional platform that blends information dissemination with user comfort.

Looking Ahead

The receipt of the JTA Toilet Award serves not only as recognition of Vacan’s accomplishments in the toilet management sphere but also as motivation to expand its influence across various environments. The company envisions its technology enhancing comfort within railways, airports, offices, commercial centers, tourist sites, and public facilities, ultimately contributing to a future where restroom waiting times are eliminated. Vacan is committed to ensuring that everyone can confidently utilize restrooms, reinforcing the importance of hygiene and accessibility.

About Vacan Inc.

Founded in June 2016 and headquartered in Chuo, Tokyo, Vacan Inc. operates under the leadership of CEO Takamichi Kawano. The company is proud to be recognized as a selected enterprise in the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry's J-Startup 2019 initiative. With a mission to gently connect people and spaces through technology, Vacan is dedicated to updating urban life experiences via its innovative congestion visualization and management platform. In addition to AirKnock, the company manages other services focused on crowd management and enhancing various public spaces, including its media platform Unveil within toilet stalls.

To learn more about AirKnock and its transformative potential for public restrooms, visit Vacan's official site.