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The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

nytimes.com

251–260 of 406 posts

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#251
post #229

Some of the features I really like about my Japanese toilet: * Heated seat * Bidet with warm water * “Omakase” power-saving setting that learns your schedule and turns off the heat during the times you are typically out or asleep. * Flush with a button press vs. turning a handle. This sounds minor, but whenever I have to use a toilet with a handle it is noticeably less convenient as you often have to keep the handle…

> Button to automatically raise and lower the lid. Bonus points if it’s motion activated to raise the lid when you enter the bathroom. I have this, and eventually disabled it. It's super annoying, and goes off if if I enter the bathroom and go near the toilet for any reason, even if I'm not about to use the toilet.

It probably only works in Japan where, if possible, the toilet is in it's own separate room, separate from the room where you wash your face, separate from the room with the shower/bath. You'd never be in the toilet room except to use the toilet. The door stays closed so the toilet is only going to open when you open the door to the toilet room.

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#252
post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those hand sprayers are an Muslim thing aren't they? That's what I was told by locals in SE Asia. Searching, it comes up

No, they're everywhere in Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines, none of which are majority muslims.

that doesn't make them non-muslim things. Plently of things in those countries that are not from those countries

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#253
post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those hand sprayers are an Muslim thing aren't they? That's what I was told by locals in SE Asia. Searching, it comes up

They're pretty common in Russia, too. In Muslim countries they're basically everywhere. When you're used to them it's very annoying to end up in a country that doesn't have them. Especially the US, which in addition has strange toilets that fill up with a lot of water during normal operation and bathroom stall privacy that begins 30cm above the ground.

Agreed. USA public restrooms are the worst as are USA public restroom manners.

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#254
There are cheaper solutions than japanese toilet, bidet or handhelds - using a bottle of water, you just need a good capacity, and need to refill before or after the deed. Aim at your anus and stretch your asscheeks with your other hand and do circle and robbing on your skin while emptying the water with the hand holding the bottle. It is a bit technical the first time, a bit disgusting but fecal mater is 100% washable so your hands and anus will be all clean and your anus will thank you for the rest of the day. But you need enough capacity for the water. You can also use soap and do two round while emptying each halves of the bottle. First round remove all fecal, then soap (use a gentle soap!) then empty the remaining of the bottle. You don’t really need soap though because the results with water only is already infinitely better than with toilet paper. You can use the toilet paper to dry your skin or use a small toilet exclusively allocated for this usage - if you are home take a brief cat shower and aim exclusively the anus. A bit more cumbersome because you need to remove your clothes and shoes if you wear them

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#255

I’m a little concerned by the number of people here who seem to think it is totally normal to need to wipe a lot after going to the toilet. Is that a feature of the American diet?

Lucky you. Given the sprayer is almost universal all over much of Asia, the middle east, and apparenrtly Finland I'd say must be common for many people not to have non-messy poo 100% of the time.

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#256
post #75
post #4

A bidet is standard equipment in Argentinian homes, even the poorest houses have it. Once you get used to it, it’s incomprehensible that in other countries people just wipe and…hope for the best. But often it’s hard to install one in bathrooms that are not designed for it. So a Japanese toilet is a somewhat over the top solution in our house.

> it’s incomprehensible that in other countries people just wipe and…hope for the best. Nowadays many people use wet wipes. Probably less environmentally friendly, but they solve the same problem.

It does not solve the same problem. The same way the majority of people prefer to wash their hand at a faucet with soap and water. They might put up with a wet wipe when they are near a faucet but it doesn't "solve the same problem". At best it's a temporary solution until you get to a place where you can really wash.

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#257

Americans don’t understand this because our national tv ads are for toilet paper. There’s even a social contention built in about the “quality of tp”. Let me tell you, if you spray your asshole first, the quality of the tp does not really matter.

Was in Japan during covid. Was happy that I used very little TP because of my washlet when I saw the shortages and horrding in the USA.

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#258
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's standard equipment, why wouldn't bathrooms be designed for it? New expectations? Something else?

Every bathroom in Thailand and Argentina is built with a drain in the floor. It's forward thinking construction. Otherwise, without the drain, either the bum gun or the bidet can and will easily damage the floor and anything below it.

It seems wild to me you'd have a bathroom without a general floor drain? Like it's a room where we put water taps...a floor drain just makes sense (and you already need to put plumbing in for floor drains to have like, a shower work).

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#259
post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you like them? Most Japanese do not. I find them gross. I had to use one recently in Osaka waiting for the Shinkansen at Shin Osaka Station. They require much better aim than a western bowl. They'd be horrible for diarrhea. Your poop just sits there in the open air and steams until you flush it, much more stinky than underwater.

I also don't prefer them, but a clear benefit is the squatting pose being a lot healthier than the standard sitting on a Western toilet. Somewhat fixable by a squatty potty, but those aren't in public restrooms.

> squatting pose being a lot healthier than the standard sitting on a Western toilet

I'm not convinced though maybe I was just never properly trained. When I use a squat toilet I have my pants bunched up, when I squat the bunched up pants are between my upper and lower legs and cut off the ciruculation in my legs. If I'm constipated it my legs are screaming much sooner than on a seat.

Re: The Rise of the Japanese Toilet

#260
As someone who has been dealing with flared hemorrhoids since I was a teenager, I improvised my post-2 work by simply washing with the shower pistol whose cord is long enough to reach behind me while I'm sitting on the toilet.

Since then, whenever I search for a new apartment to rent, this became one of the criteria I look for! I simply can't go back to just dry wiping, ever.

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