Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

priceonomics.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 380 posts

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#61

Post by Osmium »

mcormier wrote: post #40

"These exquisite toilets are everywhere in Japan" Really? I was there for 5 days last spring and never encountered one of these toilets. I did, however, encounter a hole in the ground, you gotta squat to do a number two public toilet stall.

I've been to both Sapporo and Tokyo, and I can assure you there're everywhere. Certainly everywhere I went. I did see squat toilets too though; some places had both.

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#62

Post by muraiki »

At first I thought this article would be about squat toilets (which I did also encounter in Greece). While it's true that a squat toilet means that you don't have to sit on something that other people have sat on, it also leaves a lot of room for, how shall I put it... error? I encountered some pretty bad public restrooms in Japan...

When I lived in Japan for a few months, I think I only ever came across one or two bidet toilets. Frankly, I was too afraid to try it. I kept wondering what would happen if the mechanism malfunctioned or missed or something. Typical geek worries, I guess!

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#63

Post by kayoone »

swampthing wrote: post #4

I might in the paranoid minority on this, but here are some concerns I have: * How does the toilet know that everything is clean? With toilet paper, you can just wipe with new toilet paper until there is no more residue. * What is the algorithm for the toilet's spraying? Does it end up spreading diluted feces around, or is it careful to spray outward-in? * What happens if feces end up on the nozzle? Is there some kin…

Algorithms for the toilets spraying, Only on HN :D

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#65

Post by w1ntermute »

eob wrote: post #50
pdenya wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Minus the necessity of the wreath, I assume construction managers in the US are equally willing to accept free drinks and an extra $100/per bathroom. Does this not work in the US because it can't be a reasonable default in those types of situations?

It's not a reasonable default because every visitor to your house would make a comment requiring you to justify having "fringe" bathroom habits. Edit: Not every, of course. And the number would vary by region of the US. Excuse the universal quantifier :)

> every visitor to your house would make a comment requiring you to justify having "fringe" bathroom habits.

Wouldn't this have been the case in Japan in the early 80s too, when Washlets first came to the market?

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#66

Post by mirkules »

While I find bidet toilets incredibly useful, I don't understand why this is such a sudden revelation. The French invented these toilets in the 18th century: they were/are in wide use in Europe, middle east, and I've even encountered a few in Canadian hotels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidet). Is there something fundamentally different about Japanese bidets (other than integration into the toilet itself)?

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#67

Post by Osmium »

How does one go about cleaning these? It always seemed to me that, if the nozzle got dirty, then they could cause more problems than they solve. Especially (to quote the article) if it's spraying the "female genital area." If there's any bacteria on that nozzle, and since it's been in a toilet for any number of years I'd guess there might be, surely there'd be a risk of it causing UTIs and the like?

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#68

Post by eob »

eob wrote: post #50
pdenya wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Minus the necessity of the wreath, I assume construction managers in the US are equally willing to accept free drinks and an extra $100/per bathroom. Does this not work in the US because it can't be a reasonable default in those types of situations?

It's not a reasonable default because every visitor to your house would make a comment requiring you to justify having "fringe" bathroom habits. Edit: Not every, of course. And the number would vary by region of the US. Excuse the universal quantifier :)

w1ntermute - That's a great question. We'll have to hope someone with better knowledge of Japanese habits and culture will respond to answer it.

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#69

Post by stcredzero »

I'm sure it's because Americans have funny attitudes. Programmers, who spend lots of time sitting, should see this as a way of increasing comfort during work time. For the same reason and others (prevalence of pizza at meet ups) programmers should consider modest amounts of fiber supplements like Metamucil. (Not like a conventional laxative at all, and it enables your GI tract to handle just about anything you throw at it gracefully, so long as you get enough water.)

Re: Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

#70

Post by MrFoof »

tomjen3 wrote: post #14
MrFoof wrote: post #2

The US is a notoriously price-sensitive market. For a lot of folks, they wouldn't consider paying $1000+ for a toilet when the most basic American Standard can be found for about $125. A lot of people would find it hard to justify an order of magnitude price increase. I know Boston has a Toto showroom in its North End, but I really cant consider it due to the rules of my apartment building.

How long does a toilet last? Ten years? Then we are talking less than the cost of your internet connection (and we won't mention the cost of food, which is way more than that).

Hey now, I'd have a Toto toilet if my apartment would let me install one. Problem is, they won't, because they don't want to deal with it when I move out.
Post reply on HN