More Wacky Japanese Stuff

[Sundae]

I'll wait for Zen but my understanding is within homes and hotels it's mostly Western style - better than Western because they include so many added extras. But a (small) majority of public toilets are still traditional.

But then I've used hole in the ground toilets in both France and Italy, so it's not just a East/ West divide.

[slang]

Yes, I've read stories about Japanese toilet accessories. Sounds like a wide variation from hole in the ground to cologne automatically sprayed on your rear when your done, sorta thing.

[ZenGum]

I see I have some homework to do. I'll get back to you with photos.
Yes, I am going to go and take photos in public toilets.

[bluecuracao]

Make sure you take em after the robot's visited, okay?

[Sundae]

You realise this is how Slang started don't you? (not specifically toilets) You'll have your own photo thread before you know it...

[Cloud]

squatting for elimination is much healthier than sitting. I imagine that a squatting toilet should be as sanitary, too, given that you don't actually sit on it.

But I suppose there'd be splashage.

[Sundae]

Previous thread re squatting toilets (inc my personal experience in Siena)
Cellar thread, NFW as far as content goes.

[slang]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Yes, I am going to go and take photos in public toilets.

Yay!

Congrats man. You're now a crazy MFer like me.

Tip from Slang: don't use the flash. It makes people nervous.

[Happy Monkey]

[ZenGum]

Wow, surreal.

I might try that in my next English class. Lots of chorusing, rhythmic chanting, even singing, great teaching techniques.

To cap it all, did you notice the writing on their halter tops (ok, on their boobs) was in German?

And no, I'm not planning to go flashing in public toilets.

[ZenGum]

Here's the great Japanese Toilet Report.

Yes there are floor pans. I find the crouching uncomfortable and they're hell if you have a knee problem. The flushing isn't always effective and so they can be stinky. And I'm still not sure which way I'm supposed to face.



They also have regular wester style Crappers. This one is my bathroom, notice how everything (shower, tub, basin, toilet) is crammed into a tiny space. I just measured it: 140 x 105 x 195 (high) cm. (55 x 41 x 76 inches).



And of course the legendary "washlet" space-age superloo, with electrically heated seat, built-in bidet, deodorant sprayer, non-contact flushing mechanism and - on some models - a background music player to cover the sounds of splashing.



This is the control arm, the flusher is visible in the picture above, the green glowing light on the wall behind the control arm.



Both the flusher and deodorizer have manual and automatic operation - when the seat detects a big weight reduction (person stands up), it automatically deodorizes. When you move away from the unit, it flushes. It flushed and deodorized after I took these photos even though I hadn't sat on it. Maybe it figured I had taken a leak.

[ZenGum]

Furthermore, there are also urinals, but only the one person per stall types, not the long trough types. These ones have movement sensors for automatic flushing, mounted at the top ... at least, I think that's what those little camera-looking things are!



Also, quite a few toilet rooms have these, and I'm still not sure what they are. I'm not going near it.



And to continue with the Asian Toilet theme for a moment:




Reuters offers the following caption:

A worker decorates a room set up as a toilet during the International Toilet & Bath Expo in Seoul, November 22, 2007, which is a sideline event of the inaugural conference of the World Toilet Association.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Also, quite a few toilet rooms have these, and I'm still not sure what they are. I'm not going near it.

That's the slop sink, for the janitor to fill and dump cleaning buckets.

[Sundae]

Cool! Thanks Zen.

With the European squatter I know you are supposed to face the door (advice on a travel site I read for Brits & Merkins). As that doesn't work in your case, all I can suggest is the other way than you expect, which I what I personally learned when using one.

Re knees - I found it hell in Siena and I was (comparatively) slim then. Irony is, due to exercise I could probably squat my bulk more comfortably than I did my slimmer frame. Altough I'd need another month's training to manage doing it in heels!

[Razzmatazz13]

Or you could walk your short pup around downtown and innocently snap photos as he runs up to snorfle in young japanese schoolgirl crotches?