I have taken care of many foreign guests from various countries ever as volunteer guide, and there is one thing that almost all guests admired during staying in Japan. Can you guess what it is??

Toilet in Japan is super tidy among any other countries in the world

As you have already known, Japanese people like cleanliness, in particular, at toilets. We tend to keep clean and neat there even at public spaces such as city halls, parks and stations. For example, please visit there at some department stores in Japan! You can find very tidy toilets and as well as different themes/concepts according to each floor. Most of them equip separated make-up areas with mirrors and chairs, and sometimes even rest areas with fluffy sofas in case of lady’s restroom. (Unfortunately?? I have never entered men’s room, so please make a report instead of me!) I sometimes feel that I can stay or even live there…

Although I traveled many other countries, I think there are no other ethnic groups in the world who stick with making toilets as comfortable as Japanese people. (I was so astonished to find the toilets without any toilet seats in public areas in some European countries a decade ago…) In fact, toilets in Japan are relatively comfortable everywhere, but I feel sick and mad when I come across unclean ones coincidentally. Of course, there is no choice other than using there because I can’t go against nature’s calling, but my feeling has kept be down all day long. I strongly believe that cleanliness of toilets affects people’s feelings and minds!

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Our various invention with advanced technologies for toilet

Additionally, Japanese toilets has been evolved and automated in these days. When you stand in front of it, the cover automatically open. When you sit down on the seat, the recorded water flow sound has started in order to make ANOTHER sound inaudible to others. When you leave a toilet seat, water flows automatically then the cover shut again. (Please be careful for not putting your mobile/smart phone in your rear pocket of jeans or something. Once you drop it into the toilet, you may not be able to get it back. )

Besides, we have one more wonderful thing there, which was invented by Japanese called “Washlet”! As it has become a world famous equipment now and almost all guests from the world were so impressed once they use it. You have already known what it is, but I would like to report you its greatness here again! “Washlet” is a toilet seat with many electronic functions such as seat heating, spray and bidet, and you can adjust even  water pressure by a switch on the attached machine. Especially in freezing winter, you must feel blessing of “Washlet” as if you were in paradise. (To say greedy, I would like to have other function such as seat cooling in summer :-))

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The machine has equipped at our apartments / houses as a basic function now, I almost go crazy when I encounter the toilet without it in cold winter!! Therefore, some guests from other countries prefer to buy it for their own house. In fact, there are no guest who bought it at electric retailer shops in Japan and bring it back to their country so far, many people confessed me how comfortable it was. In terms of inventing “Washlet”, I admire Japanese are so genius! So, why don’t you come to experience our fancy toilet environment!?

PS: Of course, we have extremely primitive toilets depending on locations, too. please forgive me in case of that, and I hope you can have nice experience during stay in Japan 😉

Reference Information:

• Toilets in Japan: Where to Find Them & How to Use Them  (From LIVE JAPAN)

• How to Experience WASHLET®  (From TOTO website)