Toilets in Japan, You'll Want To Use For Yourself !
One of the many kinds of control panel for a Western-style toilet in Japan. Public toilets in Japan are known for being clean, well-maintained, and high-tech
Nowhere in the world do people get as excited about lavatories, as the high tech toilets in Japan. There is a good reason for that excitement though, as nowhere in the world are toilets as advanced as in Japan! First-time foreign visitors often go a little crazy when they see Japan’s ultra-modern multifunctional toilets. There are awesome heated seats and a complicated-looking control panel with many mysterious buttons. What types of toilets exist in Japan? And how should you use very modern ones without spraying water all over the place?
Most Japanese toilets offer heated seats, automatic open lids, sensors designed to dry your bum automatically, brushed steel remote controls that look like something made by Bugatti, and more. They're magical devices, and they deserve a place in your bathroom.
There are two types of toilets in Japan: Japanese-style and Western-style.
Public washrooms are often equipped with both toilet styles, although some older facilities might have only Japanese-style toilets, while many newer facilities have only Western-style toilets. The toilets in almost all modern homes and hotels are Western-style.
Many Western-style toilets in Japan feature options such as a heated seat, a built-in shower and dryer for your behind (washlet) and an automatic lid opener. Both Western and Japanese-style toilets usually have two flush modes: "small" (小) and "large" (大), differing in the amount of water used.
Although the situation has improved dramatically in recent decades, toilet paper is not always provided in public washrooms, in which case it can be useful to carry a small package of tissues with you. Similarly, because paper towels or dryers are not always provided, it is recommended to carry a handkerchief.
When using the washroom in a private home, minshuku or ryokan, you will often find toilet slippers for exclusive use inside the washroom. Leave your usual slippers outside the washroom, and do not forget to change back into them afterwards, to avoid an often committed cultural faux pas.
Japanese toilets are known for their advanced features and cleanliness, which make them generally regarded as hygienic. Som epublic toilets have this featured sign.
Toilet fans should consider visiting the TOTO Museum in Kitakyushu. The museum is dedicated to the history of toilets and Japan's leading toilet producer TOTO.
Public restrooms in Japan are known for their cleanliness, modern amenities, and efficient maintenance. These facilities offer advanced features like bidet toilets with washing and drying functions, alongside basic supplies such as toilet paper and soap for handwashing.
The control panel for a Western-style toilet in Japan is usually attached to the seat or mounted on a nearby wall. The panel allows users to adjust the toilet's settings, such as:
Flushing: The flush button may have Chinese characters for "small" (小) and "big" (大) to indicate the amount of water used.
Water pressure: The water pressure can be adjusted to "strong" (強) or "weak" (弱).
Wash position: The wash position can be adjusted to "forward" (前) or "rear" (後).
Soft wash: The toilet can be set to a soft wash mode.
Stop: The flush can be stopped.
Japanese toilets often have many additional features, such as:
Automatic lid opening
Automatic flushing
Heated seat
Massage options
Water jet adjustments
Room heating and air conditioning
Japanese toilets are often controlled by a remote control panel or a mobile phone app
Multifunctional and multilingual toilets are smartening up in Japan.
Japan is known as a land of extremes, and even in modern-day urban Tokyo, you can find "washiki (Japanese-style, hole-in-the-ground)" toilets, and in extreme contrast, the high-tech toilets of today. Not only are the high-tech "yoshiki (Western-style)" toilets more comfortable, they are also more economical in the long run. While all the buttons and functions available may seem confusing at first, Japanese high-tech toilets are actually fairly easy to use! From the first time you sit down, till the moment you flush, here is our simple guide to help you go with the flow.
Japanese High-tech Toilets 101: A Simple Guide
Automatic Toilet Seat and Lid Lifter
You may be surprised at how good Japanese high-tech toilets are at anticipating your needs—even when you first walk in! Most of the newer toilets are equipped with a sensor that senses when someone is approaching and opens its lid automatically. While restaurants, health and beauty establishments have toilets with this option, as it is highly hygienic, it is not commonly seen in homes. In commercial establishments, if there is no lid lifter, there is usually some toilet seat cleaning product available.
Toilet seat cleaning products are available as wipes or sprays that are usually located 1) at the back of the toilet seat or 2) beside the tissue dispenser. You can use these to be more hygienic, especially at a public restroom, you can wipe the seat the down again if you want to be really polite for the next person.
Some common features of Japanese toilets include bidet functions for washing, heated seats, air dryers, and self-cleaning mechanisms.
Heated Toilet Seat
The dreaded midnight trip to the toilet during the cold winter days—wherein you sit and jump up again because of the freezing cold toilet seat—are over as most high-tech toilets in Japan come with a heated toilet seats. The first touch is warm, pleasant, and soothing, just what you need for that cold-season relief.You can even adjust the amount of heat you want, and allows you to turn this function off in the summer.
Toilet Sounds
One of the first developments in the Japanese high-tech toilet trend is the"oto-hime," (sound princess). "Oto-hime" is a loop of soothing recorded sounds (usually of flowing water) used to mask offending sounds while you make use of the facilities. These are usually marked with the note symbol (♪) and can be found as one of the toilet buttons or as a separate device altogether. While first developed for women's public restrooms (hence the name princess), it is now widely available on most public toilets. Recent innovations include "timed" sounds that stop after 25 seconds as well as "adjustable volumes" to suit every need. Saving your dignity has never been this easy.
Washlet
Developed in 1980 in an effort to cut down on toilet paper usage, the Washlet toilet is one of the pinnacles of "Cool Japanese products" and is now a standard feature in department stores, hotels, public toilets on expressways, and train stations among others. Some toilets have a bar on the side that houses the control panel, while others have the panel on the wall. In either case, the they share similar functions.
A warm shower washes your bottom with clean, warm water. Furthermore, you can adjust the position, range and intensity of the shower. Some functions include "bidet," "oshiri" (one's bottom) which is fairly self-explanatory, and "yawaraka" (soft,) which provides softer sprays. Depending on the model, some washlets may also have a warm blow-drying feature for after the shower.
Although the cleaning features that come with many Japanese high-tech toilets may seem uncomfortable or even intimidating at first, they can be addictive. Quite a few foreigners buy these and bring them home when they leave Japan, and there are rumors that some Hollywood celebrities have had them installed in their own homes. But don't take anyone's word for it—take a seat and see for yourself!
How to read Japanese words on the panel
流す
NagasuFlush大(Dai): full flush
小(Sho): half flushおしり
OshiriSpray the bottom-ビデ
Bide
Bidet-やわらか
Yawaraka
Soft wash-止（停止）
Tomeru (Teishi)
Stop-水勢
Suisei
Water pressure強(Kyô): Strong pressure
弱(Jaku): Weak pressure洗浄位置
Senjô ichiPosition前(Mae): Forward
後(Ushiro): Rear温度設定
Ondo setteiTemperature高(Kou): Forward
低(Tei): Rear便座
BenzaSeat-温水
OnsuiWarm water-ノズルそうじ
Nozuru soujiCleaning the nozzles-パワー脱臭
Pawâ dasshûDeodorizer-
Automatic Deodorizing and Automatic Fragrance Feature
Once you're done indulging in all the wonderful cleaning functions available and you're ready to get on with your day, some Japanese toilets will actually deodorize and release fragrance automatically once you stand up. In some other toilets, this is not an automatic function. Instead, a wall-mounted deodorizer releases an aromatic spray at certain predetermined times (or via a sensor), ensuring a refreshing smell at all times. This is most likely part of a separate cleaning system and is commonly seen throughout public restrooms in Japan.
What’s so special about Japanese toilets ? Flush button on wall, non-contact type flushing (holding your hand over the sensor), and flush button on a remote control.
Flush Functions (大 or 小)
Most people probably consider flushing to be a one push affair, not so with high-tech toilets in Japan. Though the setup may appear overly elaborate due to so many levers and buttons, there are actually only a few functions you need to know. Generally all high-tech toilets have the function of "大 - dai" (or big/full flush) or "小 - sho" (or small/half flush.) You can probably guess what these are alluding to.
Dai flushes would use approximately twice the amount of water that sho uses for those extra-strength flushing instances. While not yet common, "eco sho" conserves eve even more water than "sho." So what starts out as confusing turns out to be both innovative and ecological.
One popular function is the music button, which allows toilet users to play a pleasant sound to muffle other noises that are perhaps less pleasant.
Music in Toilets in Japan
This is the one I love the most personally. Quite often, public toilets have a button with a musical note on it. So what happens when you press it? You would expect music to come out, but it is actually the sound of a flushing toilet or streaming water. What is the purpose of this seemingly useless sound? You might be surprised to learn that many Japanese people, and ladies in particular, are very shy about producing any kind of sound when they are in the toilet, no matter how normal it is.
In the past, this meant that some people started flushing the toilet as soon as they sat down, and just kept flushing it until they were done. This obviously costs a lot of water and is wasteful of such a precious resource. A brilliant person then came with the idea to simulate the sound of a flushing toilet with a button, and the sound button sometimes called ‘angel sound’ was born. Quite resourceful, don’t you think?
Japanese public toilets are generally spotless and free of vandalism.
Another Innovation for High-Tech Toilets in Japan: Tank-less or Eco Toilet
A tank-less or eco toilet uses water directly from a water pipe to flush the toilet, and can clean the toilet bowl sufficiently with a smaller quantity of water. While this is less common in public restrooms, it is one of the standards for luxury home properties as it (1) conserves water; (2) easier to clean; (3) has a sleek and modern design.
Old and Modern Toilets in Japan
Although many think that old-fashioned toilets can’t be found anymore in Japan, this is not the case. While they are being phased out, there are still regular western-style toilets to be found in no-frills apartments and older hotels, and in parks as well. If you are really (un)lucky, you will even find an old-style squatting toilet. In old, traditional restaurants that are not high-end and in some parks you have the chance to see these historical toilets.
Are they all-bad? Many beg to differ, and some people even prefer this type of toilet because they don’t have to sit on a dirty seat. Japanese people tend to be a bit germophobic, so cleanliness is very important. It is also supposed to be good training for your legs if you squat every day. And this might be one of the reasons why Japanese Judoka tend to have particularly strong lower bodies.
The reason why squat toilets are being phased out is the change of lifestyles in Japan. People used to live in Japanese-style houses with tatami or straw mats and sleep on futon bedding on the floor. Nowadays, living arrangements have become more westernized in many households. They sit on chairs instead of on the tatami floor. And with this move to higher heights, people started preferring western-style multifunctional toilets in their houses. Because of this, many children have never learned how to use squatting toilets, changing the needs for public restrooms.
Another reason why western-style toilets are increasingly common in public places? The number of foreign tourists had been increasing. Many Western people have never used squat toilets, so it is difficult for them to use them. If they feel difficulties to use toilets while enjoying sightseeing, they may not recommend others to go there. So, having western toilets is one way to promote tourism.
How to use Japanese-style toilets
Face the front of the toilet.
Pull down your pants and underpants or lift up your skirt.
Squat down close to the front of the toilet. In case of elevated toilets (see picture below), you need to stand on the raised platform while squatting