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Gossip For Tourists In Japan

By RomanticHeart | January 22, 2010

In a country known for leading edge technology, are we justified in being surprised that they have the most sophisticated public toilets as well? Concentrating on comfort, cleanliness and even making an attempt to ease embarrassment, Japanese toilets are miles beyond what most expect, though for anyone living there, these should be fast turning into the norm.

Of course we won’t go into the health befits of the squat toilets from yesteryears that are still common here, but are truly not as innovative as you’d hope from the Japanese. Those you’d find in other Asian nations as well, often in towns though.

When it comes to a touch of invention, it starts here by getting rid of humiliation. Talk about the discomfort of knowing someone is in a stall next to you and can essentially hear you making some funny sounds; funny to them but embarrassing for you. Eastern tech folk have cured this by making a device commonly referred to as a ‘Sound Princess’. Found in almost all the newer public restrooms, the newer public restrooms, the device, when turned on, literally sounds like a flushing toilet, drowning out any other sound that could be made when using the facilities. This guarantees that even the shyest of people can relax, knowing no one can hear them.

What Japan actually has to supply in modern toilets industry, if you need to call it that, are the washlets that have a variety of features to delight everybody ( yes, we are still chatting toilets ). The control panel for the Washlet might remind you of something you could see in a rocket ship ; these toilets may look ordinary, but are anything except normal.

A common feature on each is a bidet, which can be mixed with toilet paper, or used on its own to bathe everything and anything. Most have 2 nozzles, with adjustable water pressure to each area, carefully cleaning without being uncomfortable. Many Washlets have built in dryers, making toilet paper pointless. Comfort does not stop here though , with heaters attached, cold seats are a thing of the past. Some models actually have automated lid opening, closing and flushing, catering to males and females with the push of a button.

Making those certain trips to the loo is never welcomed by anyone, but Japanese have made the whole thing an experience worth trying. The only main problem that most travellers face in these toilets is the language barrier. The control panels have Japanese instructions and once seated getting up can become tricky. There is no query though that these toilets are catching up in the rest of the world as well, even the high tech man in black, Will Smith, when building his house got the Japanese to provide his toilets.

To read more about travel topics, visit famouswonders.com and while you are at it, check out Hakone Lake District Japan.