Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago • Hacker News Board

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#51

Post by tricolon » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 3:57 AM UTC

ragle wrote: post #26

When I first came to Thailand, I was appalled when one of my friends told me the pistol nozzle (like we use in the US for doing dishes) next to every Thai toilet[1] was for spraying yourself after using the bathroom. This was disgusting to me at first. Echoing a few other comments, I feel like a bidet is something you have to experience yourself before you trust it. Once you do though, I think you are forever changed…

Those are ubiquitous in Northern Europe as well—yes, including all public bathrooms.

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#52

Post by a8da6b0c91d » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 3:58 AM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #33

veidr wrote: post #2

This is one of those things that long-time expats that live in Japan often take back with them when they leave. Another is the practice of removing your (utterly filthy, inevitably) outdoor shoes when you enter the house. I read Shogun as a kid (great book, for a little kid) and going back home to the USA and using the toilet there always reminds me of the scenes where the European sailors that shipwrecked in Japan s…

> the European sailors that shipwrecked in Japan sit around scratching their fleas and scoffing at the Japs' grotesque habit of bathing every day... gross Well on a ship you certainly can't wash yourself every day. And even in Europe, there was a lack of running water to wash yourself as often as you wanted. Japan has tons of rivers everywhere and is one of the richest country in terms of river water - and you can ad…

The whole "europeans were dirty" thing is apocryphal. European towns were loaded with heated public baths that got plenty of use, just like in Asia.

There was a phenomenon that the public baths became associated with the spread of plague and syphilis when those diseases reached Europe (because they were associated) and usage declined. This has somehow done whisper-down-the-lane into the idea that Europeans were filthy.

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#53

Post by bane » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 3:59 AM UTC

Japanese (and increasingly Korean) toilets are amazing. I love visiting my in-laws and just using their toilets and feeling unbelievably civilized.

My wife, refuses to get one, or even the fancy seat attachments because...tbh...they're freaking expensive. I can basically refit all the toilets in my house for less than the discount price for a single seat...and that's not including the cost of the electrician to put a power source near just one of my toilets.

There's also lots of research in her home country that women shouldn't use the bidets in these toilets for various reasons particular to their anatomy.

To compare, a Glacier Bay 2-piece high efficiency dual flush elongated toilet is Toto Washlet S350e seat with heated seat and warm water bidet is $1,700. I frequently see cheaper Korean versions at my local Asian Market for $800-1200. I saw one at Costco for $650 the other day.

If they want to penetrate the market, they need to drop the price significantly, corner the market, then start cranking the price up faster than inflation.

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#54

Post by pedrosorio » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 4:01 AM UTC

slyall wrote: post #40

veidr wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, the overwhelming majority of Americans in the USA do wear shoes in the house. I myself did it too, until age 19 (when I moved to Japan). http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=5177409 http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/18ekqf/as_a_canad... http://www.quora.com/Do-real-Americans-wear-shoes-indoors-as... https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101011193926A...

It is actually a really strange thing. There seems to be pockets of people in various countries that either wear shoes inside or not but can't imagine doing the opposite and assumes everybody in their city/state/country is like them. Interesting point: You also never see people on TV shows and movies taking their shoes off when they go to a house but I imagine this might be mainly due to the show not wanting to break…

The question is: do you often see people taking their shoes off when they go to a house on Japanese TV shows and movies?

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#55

Post by Natsu » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 4:01 AM UTC

In case anyone was curious, ビデ is read as "bidet" (i.e. squirt water up your ass).

This among the many reasons why it's helpful to at least learn to read kana before visiting, as it makes a lot of things easier--there are an awful lot of English words written in kana that you can decipher (well, French in this particular case, but you get the point I hope).

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#56

Post by frozenport » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 4:11 AM UTC

I wonder what the effect on overall hygiene is? I wash my hands after every bowl movement, in total (shower, etc) I wash them every 5 hours. Will people now wash their hands less?

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#57

Post by gggggggg » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 4:13 AM UTC

On reading that it seems like you use paper still. I didnt realise this. Do you use the normal paper before or after the water? Seems like after water and drying to me, but potentially much less?

Also, does it do away with the need for women wiping after a pee?

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#58

Post by llllllllllll » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 4:14 AM UTC

craigching wrote: post #23

veidr wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, the overwhelming majority of Americans in the USA do wear shoes in the house. I myself did it too, until age 19 (when I moved to Japan). http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=5177409 http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/18ekqf/as_a_canad... http://www.quora.com/Do-real-Americans-wear-shoes-indoors-as... https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101011193926A...

That is amazing to me. In Minneapolis, everyone requires you to remove shoes before entering the house proper. Maybe it's the snow ... of which we are currently in the process of getting about 12" tonight :-/

Yeah, grew up in Minneapolis and most everyone removes their shoes, especially during the winter as it would create a complete mess if you didn't.

During the rest of the year, it depends a little bit on the residence. I never cared if someone kept their shoes on in the junky apartments I lived in during college, but if it were my parent's well-kept house for example, I'd consider it rude to keep them on.

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#59

Post by llllllllllll » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 4:18 AM UTC

ragle wrote: post #26

When I first came to Thailand, I was appalled when one of my friends told me the pistol nozzle (like we use in the US for doing dishes) next to every Thai toilet[1] was for spraying yourself after using the bathroom. This was disgusting to me at first. Echoing a few other comments, I feel like a bidet is something you have to experience yourself before you trust it. Once you do though, I think you are forever changed…

Same situation for me in Cambodia. It wasn't until I ran out of toilet paper one time that I caved in and tried the "bum gun". Now it's my preference for sure, cleaner and quicker too.

Re: Japanese Toilets: The Future Called 30 Years Ago

#60

Post by rahimnathwani » Fri, Apr 04, 2014, 4:19 AM UTC

wting wrote: post #21

rahimnathwani wrote: post #8

If you're thinking about buying one of these, I can highly recommend the Toto S300e ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009IJ2LM4 ) or, if you live in Asia, the TCF4722CS ( http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=23047236820 ). These 'washlet' toilet seats can be retro-fitted to normal toilets. It's really easy as long as the flush-water inlet to your toilet has a standard fitting. Oh, and assuming you have a suitable power socke…

There are also cheaper compromises that only replace the toilet lid instead of the entire toilet and without requiring a hot water line. I bought this version last year for $250 but it's $350 now: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005XNW1Q0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?...

"There are also cheaper compromises that only replace the toilet lid instead of the entire toilet and without requiring a hot water line."

Both the models I recommended are of this type (they are just a seat, and they don't require a hot water line).

I considered the model you recommended. The main reason I went for the higher-priced models is that they are higher-power, and can heat the incoming water in real-time. The more inexpensive Toto models are lower power, but compensate by having a built-in tank to store water. I guessed (but did not verify) that, on occasion, the tank could run out of hot water before I was done.

Does the tank on the B100 always have enough hot water for you?