Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets? • Hacker News Board

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

#161

Post by eob » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:45 PM UTC

s_henry_paulson wrote: post #128

eob wrote: post #18

Americans, by and large, are quite bizarre when it comes to discussing anything that takes place below the belt. When I mentioned working at Google, I have had multiple people say to me, "I heard the founders at Google are OBSESSED with toilets and import special models from Japan." As if one has to be stark raving mad to use a modern toilet from Japan, instead of the old fashioned toilet which was probably imported…

From what I read on the internet 25-40% of people out there seem to stand up to wipe.. and I have to believe that's largely due to people never discussing how they use the restroom.

No, they stand because that part of the world is used to squatting when they go to the bathroom. The "toilet as throne" model is from the west. Over there, historically, toilets are built into the floor. The toilet bowl is a rounded-rectangle depression in the floor rather than something that sticks out of it. You stand with one foot on either side of the bowl and squat while you do your business.

I prefer Western toilets (I'm American), but think the squat-strategy has a lot of sense to it: you never touch anything, and the squat position angles your body "just right" if you know what I mean. It's just a bit awkward for us (Westerners) when you're not used to holding that body position, though.

There, now I can cross off "get into public internet discussion of pooping strategy" from my life goals list. :)

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

#162

Post by glanch » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:46 PM UTC

Pinatubo wrote: post #120

Osmium wrote: post #67

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?

A friend of mine has one of these toilets, and the first thing I did before sitting down was look at the nozzle. It was covered in tiny bits of feces. I stuck with the toilet paper.

So, we're done here.

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

#163

Post by seanmcdirmid » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:48 PM UTC

jinushaun wrote: post #157

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People in SE Asia don't eat with their hands, you must be thinking about Central/South Asia. Spray cleaning really isn't that bad, you should be washing your hands after anyways.

No, we (Thai, Laos, and Cambodian) do eat with our hands. Chopsticks were a cultural import from the Chinese.

Really? I never saw anyone eating with their hands in SE Asia, well, anything but street food. Its hard to eat a rice or noodle dish with your hands, especially without bread!

Genuinely curious.

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

#164

Post by anonymous » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:50 PM UTC

1. They're much more expensive

2. You need to retrain your cleaning staff to know how to handle these. It's like entrusting them with dusting off your server rack.

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

#165

Post by daralthus » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:54 PM UTC

kghose wrote: post #154

mberning wrote: post #96

Try using a toilet in Germany. Without being too crass, you deposit your excrement onto a dry shelf, whereupon it may be inspected, or not, and then a rush of water slides it off the shelf to its destination.

1. Uses less water 2. No splash back

Also it is designed to facilitate stool examination, as it was invented when huge dysentery epidemics spread through Europe.

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

#166

Post by aplusbi » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:55 PM UTC

DigitalJack wrote: post #101

CanSpice wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article states "Even still, many users of bidets use some amount of toilet paper, especially for drying purposes."

Sure, but now you are chasing rivulets of fecal water running down your legs. That is some shit I'd rather not deal with.

Perhaps you are one of the stand-to-wipe types, but if you remain seated throughout the drying operation you will not have to deal with any rivulets.

Also some toilets have an air-dryer.

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

#167

Post by michelleclsun » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:58 PM UTC

The best part of these toilets is not the washing function, which in Asia frankly not a lot of people use (I lived in Hong Kong, Beijing and traveled extensively across main cities in Asia) but the heated seats. Once in a ski lodge in Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan, after a long day of snowboarding, these heated seats really save the day - Japanese perfectionism at its best.

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

#168

Post by ErrantX » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:58 PM UTC

crusso wrote: post #140

ErrantX wrote: post #71

Also, economics. These toilets currently cost ~$500 more than a "normal" toilet. Of course, you do use significantly more toilet paper with the latter, but a pack is ~$5 and lasts ~ 1 month, so you'd still be looking at, what 8-10 year return on investment.

but a pack is ~$5 and lasts ~ 1 month Ah, I remember my bachelor days too.

Multibuy is your friend! I sat down and worked out our real toilet roll cost and it is lower than $5/mo

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

#169

Post by acheron » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:58 PM UTC

mberning wrote: post #96

Try using a toilet in Germany. Without being too crass, you deposit your excrement onto a dry shelf, whereupon it may be inspected, or not, and then a rush of water slides it off the shelf to its destination.

I saw that in Spain, too.

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

#170

Post by smsm42 » Wed, Nov 14, 2012, 8:59 PM UTC

arrrg wrote: post #39

patio11 wrote: post #5

Toto's primary sales channel is "If you build a house or office in Japan and don't specifically talk to your architect/contractor about your post-bowel movement preferences we will take the liberty of using the most current model Toto has available and then invoice you cost plus labor plus 50%." Toto does not have that relationship with the person responsible for picking your toilet. Why does Toto have that relations…

People don’t pick the toilets in their houses? I find that hard to imagine. People not picking the pipes or bricks that are used I can see, but the toilet? No way. Before I buy a toilet I want to at least sit on it and I cannot imagine anyone feeling any other way about that.

If you buy a house that is not new, and your toilet is working, replacing it will be definitely not on the top of your list. And since other renovations - which usually matter much more for people take priority. Add to that the fact that "we recently did a new kitchen" sounds much better in conversation that "we recently bought a toilet seat which costs only a little less than a used car" - and here you go.

The factor of the cost is important too. For $1700 I could redo a whole room - why would I spend this on a toilet when I already have a perfectly working one? Of course, if money is not an issue, it's different - but for most people money still is the issue.