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Why aren't we all using Japanese toilets?

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

#191

Post by jeffool »

ahlatimer wrote: post #73
w1ntermute wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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?

While discussions of what goes on in the bathroom may make most Americans uncomfortable, it certainly isn't so taboo as to point out a different toilet. Perhaps the Japanese culture is different, such that, while people may have wanted to ask why you have a fringe toilet, social norms kept them from doing so. I'm not Japanese, nor have I spent any time in Japan, so that's purely conjecture, but, knowing what little I…

Speaking on cultural differences and American willingness to discuss bathroom culture...

I, personally, don't like the idea of a warm seat. All I'll be thinking about is "someone else just used this toilet".

Maybe one day I'll use one and it'll change my outlook completely, like the George Foreman grill nudged my outlook on the validity of infomercial products. But, until that happens? Nope, no thanks.

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

#192

Post by jws »

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.

I bought a crazy expensive Toto when rebuilding the master bathroom because it was advertised to be quiet. Flushing sounded like you were using depth charges. A stream of plumbers, contractors, and sales reps came to look at the installation and eventually decided Toto must have changed something in that model, and swapped it for a mere mortal toilet that won't wake the entire household at night.

Maybe their brand hasn't earned enough credibility to command the prices.

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

#193

Post by sk5t »

blazingfrog2 wrote: post #177
FrojoS wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't have the source handy, but I remember there were at least two very attractive features that started the trend of "advanced" toilets in Japan: 1) A seat heater: Bathrooms used to be unheated so without this it would be very cold in the winter. Adding a heated seated was much cheaper than adding a room heater. 2) An artificial sound to overlay embarrassing farting sounds: Without this feature, it was common for…

While we're knee-deep into the toilet conversation, you make an interesting observation. I'm originally from France and have lived in California for over 11 years but, to this day, I'm still astonished at how little embarrassment there is in American toilets (my experience is limited to the mens rooms) as far as unpleasant noise goes. It is obviously a fact of life but, where I come from, denial is king in that depar…

I think it's just cultural: American men are not expected to be discreet or embarrassed in "practical" all-male environments such as locker rooms and public toilets. A loud belch or other powerful, resounding emanation signals manliness... and it was funny when you were 7, it's still a bit funny now.

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

#194

Post by mibbitier »

aplusbi wrote: post #166
DigitalJack wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Air dryers are incredibly bad. Hand dryers are practically a waste of time since they barely do anything IMHO.

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

#195

Post by arrrg »

adestefan wrote: post #122
arrrg wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See, my perspective is completely skewed. I don’t even know what a custom built home is. I don’t have a house nor any plans to get one but my dad (a civil engineer, usually planning water supply systems) drew up all the plans for my parents’ house and my parents (including the extended family plus friends) really did nearly everything by themselves, and that includes picking out all the interior. Everything is custom…

What i'm saying is the customer usually asks for a white toilet that looks like X. The builder says, "Manufacturer Y has something like that. Does this look good?" knowing that manufacturer Y works with his suppliers who will have the exact product at the exact time that they need it. Sure you can go to a builder and say I want this, this, this, and this, but be ready to pay out the nose for someone to do all the wor…

See, my parents are the kind of people who would micromanage that kind of stuff. I mean, I know they would, because they did when they recently renovated their bathroom. This time they paid people to do the actual work (everyone’s getting older), but they made sure to get the right kinds of tiles and drew a plan for the tilers on how to arrange the tiles. Which tiles to cut in which way, and where to, for example, put the patterned tiles.

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

#197

Post by anigbrowl »

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 :)

The sales strategy is independent of the toilet model.

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

#198

Post by joseph »

ComputerGuru wrote: post #34

$15 in parts from your local hardware store gets you the basic tools you need to build a water-powered hygiene system. All you need is the "spray head" with flexible hose [0], plus the adaptor to make a kitchen part fit the bathroom piping (for some reason, kitchen and bathroom have non-interchangeable parts). You hang it on a hook next to the toilet, and you use it to clean yourself. I cannot live without these, and…

I saw a lot of those in Dubai. I have used a toilet such as the one in the article and the "UI" was less than intuitive. Because there were so many buttons, it took me a few tries to figure out how to turn on the water and the drying fan, and it had too many moving parts. Sometimes simple is better.

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

#199

Post by DeepDuh »

goostavos wrote: post #190
aplusbi wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I first started using toilets on my own I stood to wipe. Eventually I figured out that I could remain seated. This was on a western toilet.

I've transitioned into a bit of a hybrid strategy. Sit for the broad strokes, stand for the detail work.

HN is truly insightful today ;).

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

#200

Post by radley »

I've been planning to install one but:

1) I rent

2) have two bathrooms: downstairs everyone uses, upstairs is mostly me.

So:

1) do I take care of everyone or just myself first (i.e. upstairs or downstairs)?

2) costs are probably not as low as they claim. I'll need to have an electrician run power near to the toilet which also means ripping out part of the wall, replacing, and repainting.

3) I feel funny doing this as a tenant and I've wondered how well property company would respond to covering the installation costs. I figure it's like installing a new appliance...

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