There are three types of toilets in Japan. The oldest toilet, similar to a Turkish plate"), is rare today. After World War II, Western-type flushing toilets became common. Today, toilets in Japan are more elaborate than those commonly found in other developed nations. The current state of Western-style toilets in Japan is the bidet toilet, which, as of March 2016, is installed in 81% of Japanese homes, and are used in hotels and supermarkets. In Japan, these bidets are commonly called Washlets (ウォシュレット), especially produced by the TOTO brand, and include many advanced features. The set of features commonly found in washlets are anal hygiene, bidet washing, seat heating, and deodorization. Japanese toilets are well known in popular culture and are often parodied in comedy plays set in Japan.
History
During the Jōmon period (14,000 BC to 300 BC), settlements were built in a horseshoe shape, with a central plaza in the middle and rubbish heaps around the settlement. In these garbage piles, calcified fecal remains of humans or dogs, called coprolites, were found, indicating that these garbage dumps were also used as toilets. The oldest drainage systems are from the Yayoi period (between 300 BC and 250 AD).
These systems were used in larger facilities, probably in conjunction with toilets.
During the Nara period (710 to 784), a sewage system was created in the Nara capital "Nara (Nara)"). It consisted of water currents 10 to 15 cm (centimeters) wide where the user squatted with one foot on each side of the water flow. Wooden sticks (Chūgi) were used as toilet paper.
The oldest toilets in Japan also date from that time. They were built over a hole in the ground similar to a latrine.
In the early days, seaweed was used to clean oneself, but already in the Edo period, it was replaced by toilet paper made from washi (traditional Japanese paper). In mountainous regions, wooden spatulas and large blades were also used.
Toilets were often built over a stream of water. However, historically latrines were more common, since they were easier to build and the feces could be used as fertilizer, something very important in a country where Buddhism and its associated vegetarianism reduced dependence on livestock for food.
In fact, waste products from rich people sold more expensively because their diet was better.[1] This practice became much less common after World War II, both for health reasons and because of the proliferation of chemical fertilizers, but land fertilized with human feces can still be found.
Deodorization of facilities
Introduction
There are three types of toilets in Japan. The oldest toilet, similar to a Turkish plate"), is rare today. After World War II, Western-type flushing toilets became common. Today, toilets in Japan are more elaborate than those commonly found in other developed nations. The current state of Western-style toilets in Japan is the bidet toilet, which, as of March 2016, is installed in 81% of Japanese homes, and are used in hotels and supermarkets. In Japan, these bidets are commonly called Washlets (ウォシュレット), especially produced by the TOTO brand, and include many advanced features. The set of features commonly found in washlets are anal hygiene, bidet washing, seat heating, and deodorization. Japanese toilets are well known in popular culture and are often parodied in comedy plays set in Japan.
History
During the Jōmon period (14,000 BC to 300 BC), settlements were built in a horseshoe shape, with a central plaza in the middle and rubbish heaps around the settlement. In these garbage piles, calcified fecal remains of humans or dogs, called coprolites, were found, indicating that these garbage dumps were also used as toilets. The oldest drainage systems are from the Yayoi period (between 300 BC and 250 AD).
These systems were used in larger facilities, probably in conjunction with toilets.
During the Nara period (710 to 784), a sewage system was created in the Nara capital "Nara (Nara)"). It consisted of water currents 10 to 15 cm (centimeters) wide where the user squatted with one foot on each side of the water flow. Wooden sticks (Chūgi) were used as toilet paper.
The oldest toilets in Japan also date from that time. They were built over a hole in the ground similar to a latrine.
In the early days, seaweed was used to clean oneself, but already in the Edo period, it was replaced by toilet paper made from washi (traditional Japanese paper). In mountainous regions, wooden spatulas and large blades were also used.
Toilets were often built over a stream of water. However, historically latrines were more common, since they were easier to build and the feces could be used as fertilizer, something very important in a country where Buddhism and its associated vegetarianism reduced dependence on livestock for food.
On the island of Okinawa, the toilet was often attached to the pigsty, and pigs were fed human waste. This practice stopped after World War II.
During the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568 to 1600), the Taiko Sewer was built around Osaka Castle, and it still exists and functions.
The use of modern sewage systems began in 1884, with the installation of the first brick and ceramic sewer in Kanda (Tokyo). More plumbing and sewage systems were installed after the Great Kantō Earthquake to prevent epidemics following future earthquakes. However, sewer construction only increased after World War II to cope with waste products from growing population centers.
In 2000, 60% of the population was connected to the sewer system. National Sewer Day is September 10.
Western-style toilets and urinals began to appear in Japan at the turn of the century, but their use only spread after World War II due to the North American population.
In 1977, sales of Western toilets exceeded those of traditional Japanese “Turkish plates.”
Based on Swiss and American toilets with built-in bidets, the world's largest sanitary appliance manufacturing company, TOTO, introduced the Washlet in 1980.
Japanese companies currently produce some of the most advanced and high-tech toilets in the world.
Terminology
Toilets and the rooms that contain them are known by various names in Japanese. The most common name is toire. Toire is an abbreviation of toiretto (トイレット), which is an incorporated word from the French word toilette. Today, both terms are used for both the toilet and the room in which it is located.
Among many other words referring to rooms or other structures that contain toilets, perhaps the most common is otearai (literally, 'wash your hands'). Strictly speaking, otearai refers to the sink and is an equivalent to the euphemism used in Spanish-speaking countries.
It is also common to see keshōshitsu (化粧室, literally 'powder room'), a term translated from English.
The toilet itself is called benki (‘excrement device’). The toilet seat is called benza (‘excrement seat’). A potty or high chair is called omaru (sometimes written 御虎子).
The Japanese Toilet Association" celebrates an unofficial toilet day on November 10, because in Japan the numbers 11/10 (for the month and day) can be read ii-to(ire), which also means 'good toilet'.
Types of toilets
Traditional Turkish plate type toilet
The traditional Japanese-style toilet (和式, washiki) is a Turkish plate), also known as an "Asian toilet", since other toilets similar to this one are common throughout Asia. This type of toilet differs from Western toilets both in construction and in the way of use.
The traditional Japanese toilet basically looks like a urinal placed horizontally on the floor. Most of them in Japan are made of porcelain, although in some cases (such as trains), they are also made of stainless steel. Instead of sitting, the user crouches over the toilet facing the hemispherical bowl, that is, towards the wall behind the toilet in the image on the right. A type of gutter collects the waste, instead of the cup full of water used in Western toilets.
The rest of the appliances, such as the cistern and pipes, can be identical to those of the Western toilet.
Flushing the toilet causes water to push debris from the gutter into a drain that flows into the sewer system. The flush is often operated in the same way as Western toilets, but some have pull handles or floor pedals instead.
Many Japanese toilets have two ways to flush: large and small. The difference lies in the amount of water used. The first form is used for feces (literally, 'big excretion') and the second is used for urine (Japanese, literally 'small excretion'). Some people hold down the handle in small mode to have continuous noise, as discussed below.
There are two common variations: one in which the toilet is at the same level as the ground, and another in which it is elevated on a platform about 30 cm (centimeters) high. The second is easier for men to use when urinating standing up, although both types can be used for this purpose.
There is also no difference when defecating or urinating while squatting. The user stands on the toilet facing the bowl and lowers his pants (or raises his skirt) and underwear to his knees. He then squats over the gutter, as close to the front as possible, since excrement tends to fall on the back edge of the receptacle if the user squats too far back; For this reason, many public toilets have “please come a little closer” signs. It is important to maintain balance during defecation.
Foreigners often hold on to the pipe in front, which has been nicknamed the "grunt bar" because of the sounds made while grabbing the bar. If the plumbing is hidden or not sufficiently robust, a handle is sometimes installed specifically for the user to maintain their balance, both when using the toilet and when standing up after use.
Another strategy frequently used by foreigners to avoid any possible embarrassing accident is to undress completely from the waist down and hang up their clothes before adopting the position.
An advantage of this type of bathroom is that they are easy to clean. They are cheaper to manufacture and consume less water each time the cistern is emptied. In addition, since there is no direct contact with the seat, they are more hygienic. The waterless gutter also serves to reduce the risk of splashing during defecation. However, since the excrement is exposed to the air until the cistern is emptied, it tends to produce much stronger odors than if it were submerged in water as in Western toilets, an effect that is often noticeable in and near any Japanese toilet.
Various health benefits are also attributed to Turkish plate-type toilets. They are said to strengthen the pelvic muscles in women, reducing the likelihood of urinary incontinence. It is also said that they strengthen the hips, that they improve both breathing and concentration, and that the posture encourages more fecal matter to be eliminated from the colon. Adopting and maintaining the squatting posture regularly can also help improve knee flexibility. In any case, there is no medical study that confirms these statements, although it seems obvious since toilets for sitting only began to be common in the mid-19th century in the West.
Japanese bathroom furniture manufacturer TOTO produces traditional-type toilets with a built-in bidet for cleaning the anus. At the moment, a front cleaning is not available.
Western toilets
The standard toilet used around the world is called a “Western-type” toilet (洋式) in Japan.
These toilets, along with high-tech toilets, are more common in Japanese homes than traditional toilets, although some older apartments retain stickers in the toilet explaining the correct way to use Western toilets to urinate and defecate.
Although most public places, such as schools, temples and train stations are often equipped only with traditional toilets, in their own homes, the Japanese prefer to be able to sit, especially elderly people for whom squatting is straining or uncomfortable.
High-tech Japanese bidets
The modern Japanese toilet, often known in Japanese as a washlet (ウォシュレット) or as a “warm water cleansing toilet” (温水洗浄便座: onsui senjō benza), is the most advanced type of toilet in the world, offering an astonishing amount of functionality.
TOTO's product called Washlet Zoe is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most sophisticated toilet (it has seven functions). However, since that model was introduced in 1997, it is probably inferior to the last product from the same manufacturer, the Neorest. The idea of the washlet came from abroad, and the first toilet with an integrated bidet was produced outside Japan in 1964. The era of high-tech toilets began in Japan in 1980 with the introduction of the Washlet G Series by TOTO, and as of 2002, almost half of Japanese households have such a toilet, exceeding the number of households with a personal computer. Although the toilet looks like a Western toilet at first glance, it has a number of additional functions, such as a dryer, seat heater, massage options, water jet adjustment controls, automated lid opening, flushing after use, wireless control panels, room heating and air conditioning, etc. The functions are accessible through a control panel that is either on the side of the cup or on a nearby wall, often transmitting commands wirelessly.
The most basic feature is the built-in bidet, a pencil-sized nozzle that emerges from the underside of the toilet seat and shoots a stream of water. It has two positions, one for the anus and another for the vulva. The first is called 'after cleansing', 'general use' or 'family cleansing', and the second is known as 'feminine cleansing' or 'feminine washing'. At no time does the mouthpiece come into contact with the user's body. The nozzle is also self-cleaning and cleans itself before and after each operation. The user can choose to clean their vulva or anus by pressing the corresponding button on the control panel. Typically, the same nozzle is used for both operations, but in a different position, and using different openings to expel the water jet at different angles to aim at the correct location. Occasionally, two different nozzles are used, each dedicated to one area. Modern models have the control logic attached to a pressure sensor in the toilet seat, and operate only when it detects that the seat is occupied. The first models did not have this safety mechanism, so curious users who pressed the buttons while looking at the toilet received a stream of warm water in the face.
Most high-tech toilets also allow you to choose the water pressure to suit the user's preferences. By default, the vulva receives less pressure than the anus. Usually, you can also choose the temperature of the water. Researchers in Japan have found that most customers prefer a water temperature slightly higher than body temperature, with 38°C (degrees Celsius) considered best. The exact position of the nozzle can also usually be adjusted forward or backward manually.
Urinals for men and women
Urinals in Japan are very similar to urinals in the rest of the world, and are mainly used for public or multi-user men's toilets.
Before and during the Meiji Era, urinals were used by men and women. Traditionally, a kimono is worn without underwear, and women simply lifted their kimono, and with an upward push of their vulva, they were able to direct urine into the urinal. This practice disappeared in the 20th century, after most women began wearing Western clothing. Nowadays, even the kimono is almost always worn with underwear.
The female urinal underwent a small restoration between 1951 and 1968, when TOTO produced them. This conical device was located on the ground. However, they never really became popular, and only a few remain, such as under the Japanese National Stadium of the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
Japan Specific Accessories
Contenido
Los sanitarios en Japón tienen accesorios muy similares a los del resto del mundo, incluyendo papel higiénico, escobilla, sifón, etc. Sin embargo, hay algunos accesorios que raramente se encuentran fuera de Japón.
Otohime Device
Many Japanese women feel embarrassed at the thought of someone overhearing them while they are busy in the toilet. And to cover the sound of bodily functions, they have adopted the habit of continually emptying the cistern while using the toilet, wasting a lot of water in the process.
As education campaigns did not stop this practice, in the 1980s a device was presented that, when activated, produced the sound of falling water without actually using it. A common trade name is Otohime (音姫, for Otohime, the beautiful daughter of the sea king Ryūjin. The goddess's name is spelled differently, 乙姫, and means 'younger princess').
This device is frequently installed in newly built female restrooms, and many older restrooms have also been updated. It can be either a separate battery-operated device installed on the wall next to the toilet, or included in the washlet. It is activated by pressing a button or moving your hand in front of a sensor. When activated, it produces a loud sound similar to emptying a cistern. The sound stops after a predetermined time or can be stopped by pressing the button again. It is estimated that it saves about 20 L (liters) of water per use.
However, some women think that otohime has an artificial sound and prefer to continue emptying the toilet. At the moment, there seems to be no demand for these devices in men's bathrooms, so they are rarely installed in them.
bathroom slippers
In Japanese life, there is a tendency to separate areas between clean and unclean, and contact between these areas is minimized. For example, the inside of the house is considered clean, while the outside is not. To keep both areas separate, the Japanese take off their shoes when entering their homes so that their shoes do not touch the clean area inside the house.
Historically, bathrooms were located outside the house, and shoes were worn to go to them.
Nowadays, they are usually indoors, and the hygienic conditions have greatly improved, but it is still considered an unclean area. To minimize contact between the unclean floor and the clean floor in the rest of the house, many homes have bathroom slippers in front of the bathroom door. These must be put on when you enter and taken off when you leave. Under no circumstances should you walk around the house with bathroom slippers.
public toilets
Public toilets are easy to find in Japan. They are in department stores, supermarkets, bookstores, CD stores, parks, almost all 24-hour stores and in almost all railway stations. Starting in the 1990s, there has been a movement to make public toilets cleaner and more hospitable than they previously were.
Many public toilets today have both types of toilets, although many others do not. Many train stations in the Tokyo area and public schools throughout Japan, for example, only have traditional toilets. Additionally, trains, parks, temples, and traditional Japanese restaurants typically only have these types of toilets. Users who are not used to them can either search for rooms indicated with the kanji 洋式 (yōshiki), the English words western-style, a symbol for the type of toilet, or any combination of the above. Alternatively, the user can look for a disabled toilet (if there is one).
Toilet paper is not always available. Packs of tissues are often provided free of charge to passers-by as a promotional item. There are sometimes coin-operated toilet paper vending machines outside the toilets.
Many public toilets also do not have soap for washing hands or towels for drying. Many people therefore carry a handkerchief with them for these occasions, and some even carry soap. Some public toilets have hot air hand dryers to reduce paper waste. Some people simply don't wash their hands, but that is considered a serious breach of courtesy, as it is in other cultures.
Japanese toilets can be quite dirty or rather neat, depending on the situation. If one wants to find a clean toilet with all the amenities, it is a good idea to try an expensive department store such as Isetan or Seiyu. These toilets are usually well lit, spacious, equipped with soap dispensers, antibacterial cloths, paper toilet seat covers and hand dryers. They are routinely cleaned several times a day. Some even have washlets installed.
Large bookstores often offer clean toilets and tend to have less traffic and be better maintained than other public toilets.
At the other end of the cleanliness spectrum are toilets in train stations and public parks. In recent years, voyeur pornography cameras have been found in many poorly maintained public toilets.
Cultural aspects
In Japan, being clean is a very important factor, and some Japanese words that indicate cleanliness can also be used to describe beauty. The word kirei (奇麗, きれい) can be defined as 'pretty, beautiful; clean; pure; tidy.’ This may explain both the continued success of plate-type toilets, which lack direct contact with their surfaces, and also the success of high-tech toilets with built-in bidets.
Occasionally, even Western toilets are used in squatting.
There is also a large market for deodorants and air fresheners that add a pleasant aroma to the area, to the point that one company markets a pill that, taken with food, supposedly makes stool odorless.
In the cramped conditions often found in Japanese cities, and the lack of lockable rooms (as is common in traditional Japanese houses), the bathroom is one of the few rooms that offers privacy.
Some bathrooms have a bookshelf, others have people coming in with a newspaper, and some are even filled with posters. Even with this, these toilets are, whenever possible, in separate rooms from those used for bathing. This is due to the ethics of separating clean areas from dirty ones, and this fact is a factor that is considered when renting a property.
Both traditional and high-tech toilets can be a source of confusion for foreigners who are not used to these devices. Many Japanese toilets now have a short manual written in English next to the control panel or have buttons written in English to reduce culture shock. Even Japanese people not used to these devices have found themselves in the same embarrassing situation.
Economy
TOTO is the world's largest producer of toilets, including washlets. Washlets and other related products are also manufactured by Inax"), NAIS"), and Panasonic.
The global market for high-tech toilets was US$800 million in 1997. The largest producer is TOTO, with 50% of the market, while the second largest producer is Inax, with 25%.
The main market for washlets remains Japan, and TOTO has reported that overseas sales account for only 5% of its profits.
The main foreign market is China, where it sells more than a million units annually.
In the United States, for example, sales are well below Japanese levels, although sales have improved from 600 units per month in 2001 to 1,000 in 2003.
In Europe, TOTO only sells 5000 units per year. While most Europeans would probably consider washlets a curiosity, sales in Europe are on the rise. This is mainly due to the special toilets for people with disabilities. Depending on the type of problem, disabled people may have difficulty cleaning themselves after using the toilet. Hence the introduction of those with a cleansing and drying jet that saves them the trouble of asking another person to assist them in a procedure they may consider inherently private.
There are several reasons for sales outside of Japan. One main reason is that it takes some time for users to get used to the washlet. Sales in Japan were also slow when the product was initially introduced in 1980, but after some acclimatization, they improved significantly starting in 1985. Around 1990, 10% of Japanese households owned a washlet, and this number rose to 50% in 2002. TOTO expects a corresponding rise in overseas sales in the coming years. Another reason is the lack of an electricity source near the toilet. While virtually all Japanese bathrooms have a power outlet behind the toilet, many foreign toilets do not have one nearby.
Finally, in Europe, there is competition with the traditional Western bidet; Furthermore, Americans are not accustomed to any type of bidet.
[2] ↑ Christine Dimmer, Brian Martin, et al (1996): «¿Ponerse en cuclillas para la prevención de las hemorroides?» Archivado el 4 de septiembre de 2007 en Wayback Machine., Estudios del Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad de Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; publicado en la Carta de Townsend para doctores y pacientes, tema n.º 159, octubre de 1996, pp. 66-70.: http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/96tldp.html
In fact, waste products from rich people sold more expensively because their diet was better.[1] This practice became much less common after World War II, both for health reasons and because of the proliferation of chemical fertilizers, but land fertilized with human feces can still be found.
On the island of Okinawa, the toilet was often attached to the pigsty, and pigs were fed human waste. This practice stopped after World War II.
During the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568 to 1600), the Taiko Sewer was built around Osaka Castle, and it still exists and functions.
The use of modern sewage systems began in 1884, with the installation of the first brick and ceramic sewer in Kanda (Tokyo). More plumbing and sewage systems were installed after the Great Kantō Earthquake to prevent epidemics following future earthquakes. However, sewer construction only increased after World War II to cope with waste products from growing population centers.
In 2000, 60% of the population was connected to the sewer system. National Sewer Day is September 10.
Western-style toilets and urinals began to appear in Japan at the turn of the century, but their use only spread after World War II due to the North American population.
In 1977, sales of Western toilets exceeded those of traditional Japanese “Turkish plates.”
Based on Swiss and American toilets with built-in bidets, the world's largest sanitary appliance manufacturing company, TOTO, introduced the Washlet in 1980.
Japanese companies currently produce some of the most advanced and high-tech toilets in the world.
Terminology
Toilets and the rooms that contain them are known by various names in Japanese. The most common name is toire. Toire is an abbreviation of toiretto (トイレット), which is an incorporated word from the French word toilette. Today, both terms are used for both the toilet and the room in which it is located.
Among many other words referring to rooms or other structures that contain toilets, perhaps the most common is otearai (literally, 'wash your hands'). Strictly speaking, otearai refers to the sink and is an equivalent to the euphemism used in Spanish-speaking countries.
It is also common to see keshōshitsu (化粧室, literally 'powder room'), a term translated from English.
The toilet itself is called benki (‘excrement device’). The toilet seat is called benza (‘excrement seat’). A potty or high chair is called omaru (sometimes written 御虎子).
The Japanese Toilet Association" celebrates an unofficial toilet day on November 10, because in Japan the numbers 11/10 (for the month and day) can be read ii-to(ire), which also means 'good toilet'.
Types of toilets
Traditional Turkish plate type toilet
The traditional Japanese-style toilet (和式, washiki) is a Turkish plate), also known as an "Asian toilet", since other toilets similar to this one are common throughout Asia. This type of toilet differs from Western toilets both in construction and in the way of use.
The traditional Japanese toilet basically looks like a urinal placed horizontally on the floor. Most of them in Japan are made of porcelain, although in some cases (such as trains), they are also made of stainless steel. Instead of sitting, the user crouches over the toilet facing the hemispherical bowl, that is, towards the wall behind the toilet in the image on the right. A type of gutter collects the waste, instead of the cup full of water used in Western toilets.
The rest of the appliances, such as the cistern and pipes, can be identical to those of the Western toilet.
Flushing the toilet causes water to push debris from the gutter into a drain that flows into the sewer system. The flush is often operated in the same way as Western toilets, but some have pull handles or floor pedals instead.
Many Japanese toilets have two ways to flush: large and small. The difference lies in the amount of water used. The first form is used for feces (literally, 'big excretion') and the second is used for urine (Japanese, literally 'small excretion'). Some people hold down the handle in small mode to have continuous noise, as discussed below.
There are two common variations: one in which the toilet is at the same level as the ground, and another in which it is elevated on a platform about 30 cm (centimeters) high. The second is easier for men to use when urinating standing up, although both types can be used for this purpose.
There is also no difference when defecating or urinating while squatting. The user stands on the toilet facing the bowl and lowers his pants (or raises his skirt) and underwear to his knees. He then squats over the gutter, as close to the front as possible, since excrement tends to fall on the back edge of the receptacle if the user squats too far back; For this reason, many public toilets have “please come a little closer” signs. It is important to maintain balance during defecation.
Foreigners often hold on to the pipe in front, which has been nicknamed the "grunt bar" because of the sounds made while grabbing the bar. If the plumbing is hidden or not sufficiently robust, a handle is sometimes installed specifically for the user to maintain their balance, both when using the toilet and when standing up after use.
Another strategy frequently used by foreigners to avoid any possible embarrassing accident is to undress completely from the waist down and hang up their clothes before adopting the position.
An advantage of this type of bathroom is that they are easy to clean. They are cheaper to manufacture and consume less water each time the cistern is emptied. In addition, since there is no direct contact with the seat, they are more hygienic. The waterless gutter also serves to reduce the risk of splashing during defecation. However, since the excrement is exposed to the air until the cistern is emptied, it tends to produce much stronger odors than if it were submerged in water as in Western toilets, an effect that is often noticeable in and near any Japanese toilet.
Various health benefits are also attributed to Turkish plate-type toilets. They are said to strengthen the pelvic muscles in women, reducing the likelihood of urinary incontinence. It is also said that they strengthen the hips, that they improve both breathing and concentration, and that the posture encourages more fecal matter to be eliminated from the colon. Adopting and maintaining the squatting posture regularly can also help improve knee flexibility. In any case, there is no medical study that confirms these statements, although it seems obvious since toilets for sitting only began to be common in the mid-19th century in the West.
Japanese bathroom furniture manufacturer TOTO produces traditional-type toilets with a built-in bidet for cleaning the anus. At the moment, a front cleaning is not available.
Western toilets
The standard toilet used around the world is called a “Western-type” toilet (洋式) in Japan.
These toilets, along with high-tech toilets, are more common in Japanese homes than traditional toilets, although some older apartments retain stickers in the toilet explaining the correct way to use Western toilets to urinate and defecate.
Although most public places, such as schools, temples and train stations are often equipped only with traditional toilets, in their own homes, the Japanese prefer to be able to sit, especially elderly people for whom squatting is straining or uncomfortable.
High-tech Japanese bidets
The modern Japanese toilet, often known in Japanese as a washlet (ウォシュレット) or as a “warm water cleansing toilet” (温水洗浄便座: onsui senjō benza), is the most advanced type of toilet in the world, offering an astonishing amount of functionality.
TOTO's product called Washlet Zoe is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most sophisticated toilet (it has seven functions). However, since that model was introduced in 1997, it is probably inferior to the last product from the same manufacturer, the Neorest. The idea of the washlet came from abroad, and the first toilet with an integrated bidet was produced outside Japan in 1964. The era of high-tech toilets began in Japan in 1980 with the introduction of the Washlet G Series by TOTO, and as of 2002, almost half of Japanese households have such a toilet, exceeding the number of households with a personal computer. Although the toilet looks like a Western toilet at first glance, it has a number of additional functions, such as a dryer, seat heater, massage options, water jet adjustment controls, automated lid opening, flushing after use, wireless control panels, room heating and air conditioning, etc. The functions are accessible through a control panel that is either on the side of the cup or on a nearby wall, often transmitting commands wirelessly.
The most basic feature is the built-in bidet, a pencil-sized nozzle that emerges from the underside of the toilet seat and shoots a stream of water. It has two positions, one for the anus and another for the vulva. The first is called 'after cleansing', 'general use' or 'family cleansing', and the second is known as 'feminine cleansing' or 'feminine washing'. At no time does the mouthpiece come into contact with the user's body. The nozzle is also self-cleaning and cleans itself before and after each operation. The user can choose to clean their vulva or anus by pressing the corresponding button on the control panel. Typically, the same nozzle is used for both operations, but in a different position, and using different openings to expel the water jet at different angles to aim at the correct location. Occasionally, two different nozzles are used, each dedicated to one area. Modern models have the control logic attached to a pressure sensor in the toilet seat, and operate only when it detects that the seat is occupied. The first models did not have this safety mechanism, so curious users who pressed the buttons while looking at the toilet received a stream of warm water in the face.
Most high-tech toilets also allow you to choose the water pressure to suit the user's preferences. By default, the vulva receives less pressure than the anus. Usually, you can also choose the temperature of the water. Researchers in Japan have found that most customers prefer a water temperature slightly higher than body temperature, with 38°C (degrees Celsius) considered best. The exact position of the nozzle can also usually be adjusted forward or backward manually.
Urinals for men and women
Urinals in Japan are very similar to urinals in the rest of the world, and are mainly used for public or multi-user men's toilets.
Before and during the Meiji Era, urinals were used by men and women. Traditionally, a kimono is worn without underwear, and women simply lifted their kimono, and with an upward push of their vulva, they were able to direct urine into the urinal. This practice disappeared in the 20th century, after most women began wearing Western clothing. Nowadays, even the kimono is almost always worn with underwear.
The female urinal underwent a small restoration between 1951 and 1968, when TOTO produced them. This conical device was located on the ground. However, they never really became popular, and only a few remain, such as under the Japanese National Stadium of the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
Japan Specific Accessories
Contenido
Los sanitarios en Japón tienen accesorios muy similares a los del resto del mundo, incluyendo papel higiénico, escobilla, sifón, etc. Sin embargo, hay algunos accesorios que raramente se encuentran fuera de Japón.
Otohime Device
Many Japanese women feel embarrassed at the thought of someone overhearing them while they are busy in the toilet. And to cover the sound of bodily functions, they have adopted the habit of continually emptying the cistern while using the toilet, wasting a lot of water in the process.
As education campaigns did not stop this practice, in the 1980s a device was presented that, when activated, produced the sound of falling water without actually using it. A common trade name is Otohime (音姫, for Otohime, the beautiful daughter of the sea king Ryūjin. The goddess's name is spelled differently, 乙姫, and means 'younger princess').
This device is frequently installed in newly built female restrooms, and many older restrooms have also been updated. It can be either a separate battery-operated device installed on the wall next to the toilet, or included in the washlet. It is activated by pressing a button or moving your hand in front of a sensor. When activated, it produces a loud sound similar to emptying a cistern. The sound stops after a predetermined time or can be stopped by pressing the button again. It is estimated that it saves about 20 L (liters) of water per use.
However, some women think that otohime has an artificial sound and prefer to continue emptying the toilet. At the moment, there seems to be no demand for these devices in men's bathrooms, so they are rarely installed in them.
bathroom slippers
In Japanese life, there is a tendency to separate areas between clean and unclean, and contact between these areas is minimized. For example, the inside of the house is considered clean, while the outside is not. To keep both areas separate, the Japanese take off their shoes when entering their homes so that their shoes do not touch the clean area inside the house.
Historically, bathrooms were located outside the house, and shoes were worn to go to them.
Nowadays, they are usually indoors, and the hygienic conditions have greatly improved, but it is still considered an unclean area. To minimize contact between the unclean floor and the clean floor in the rest of the house, many homes have bathroom slippers in front of the bathroom door. These must be put on when you enter and taken off when you leave. Under no circumstances should you walk around the house with bathroom slippers.
public toilets
Public toilets are easy to find in Japan. They are in department stores, supermarkets, bookstores, CD stores, parks, almost all 24-hour stores and in almost all railway stations. Starting in the 1990s, there has been a movement to make public toilets cleaner and more hospitable than they previously were.
Many public toilets today have both types of toilets, although many others do not. Many train stations in the Tokyo area and public schools throughout Japan, for example, only have traditional toilets. Additionally, trains, parks, temples, and traditional Japanese restaurants typically only have these types of toilets. Users who are not used to them can either search for rooms indicated with the kanji 洋式 (yōshiki), the English words western-style, a symbol for the type of toilet, or any combination of the above. Alternatively, the user can look for a disabled toilet (if there is one).
Toilet paper is not always available. Packs of tissues are often provided free of charge to passers-by as a promotional item. There are sometimes coin-operated toilet paper vending machines outside the toilets.
Many public toilets also do not have soap for washing hands or towels for drying. Many people therefore carry a handkerchief with them for these occasions, and some even carry soap. Some public toilets have hot air hand dryers to reduce paper waste. Some people simply don't wash their hands, but that is considered a serious breach of courtesy, as it is in other cultures.
Japanese toilets can be quite dirty or rather neat, depending on the situation. If one wants to find a clean toilet with all the amenities, it is a good idea to try an expensive department store such as Isetan or Seiyu. These toilets are usually well lit, spacious, equipped with soap dispensers, antibacterial cloths, paper toilet seat covers and hand dryers. They are routinely cleaned several times a day. Some even have washlets installed.
Large bookstores often offer clean toilets and tend to have less traffic and be better maintained than other public toilets.
At the other end of the cleanliness spectrum are toilets in train stations and public parks. In recent years, voyeur pornography cameras have been found in many poorly maintained public toilets.
Cultural aspects
In Japan, being clean is a very important factor, and some Japanese words that indicate cleanliness can also be used to describe beauty. The word kirei (奇麗, きれい) can be defined as 'pretty, beautiful; clean; pure; tidy.’ This may explain both the continued success of plate-type toilets, which lack direct contact with their surfaces, and also the success of high-tech toilets with built-in bidets.
Occasionally, even Western toilets are used in squatting.
There is also a large market for deodorants and air fresheners that add a pleasant aroma to the area, to the point that one company markets a pill that, taken with food, supposedly makes stool odorless.
In the cramped conditions often found in Japanese cities, and the lack of lockable rooms (as is common in traditional Japanese houses), the bathroom is one of the few rooms that offers privacy.
Some bathrooms have a bookshelf, others have people coming in with a newspaper, and some are even filled with posters. Even with this, these toilets are, whenever possible, in separate rooms from those used for bathing. This is due to the ethics of separating clean areas from dirty ones, and this fact is a factor that is considered when renting a property.
Both traditional and high-tech toilets can be a source of confusion for foreigners who are not used to these devices. Many Japanese toilets now have a short manual written in English next to the control panel or have buttons written in English to reduce culture shock. Even Japanese people not used to these devices have found themselves in the same embarrassing situation.
Economy
TOTO is the world's largest producer of toilets, including washlets. Washlets and other related products are also manufactured by Inax"), NAIS"), and Panasonic.
The global market for high-tech toilets was US$800 million in 1997. The largest producer is TOTO, with 50% of the market, while the second largest producer is Inax, with 25%.
The main market for washlets remains Japan, and TOTO has reported that overseas sales account for only 5% of its profits.
The main foreign market is China, where it sells more than a million units annually.
In the United States, for example, sales are well below Japanese levels, although sales have improved from 600 units per month in 2001 to 1,000 in 2003.
In Europe, TOTO only sells 5000 units per year. While most Europeans would probably consider washlets a curiosity, sales in Europe are on the rise. This is mainly due to the special toilets for people with disabilities. Depending on the type of problem, disabled people may have difficulty cleaning themselves after using the toilet. Hence the introduction of those with a cleansing and drying jet that saves them the trouble of asking another person to assist them in a procedure they may consider inherently private.
There are several reasons for sales outside of Japan. One main reason is that it takes some time for users to get used to the washlet. Sales in Japan were also slow when the product was initially introduced in 1980, but after some acclimatization, they improved significantly starting in 1985. Around 1990, 10% of Japanese households owned a washlet, and this number rose to 50% in 2002. TOTO expects a corresponding rise in overseas sales in the coming years. Another reason is the lack of an electricity source near the toilet. While virtually all Japanese bathrooms have a power outlet behind the toilet, many foreign toilets do not have one nearby.
Finally, in Europe, there is competition with the traditional Western bidet; Furthermore, Americans are not accustomed to any type of bidet.
[2] ↑ Christine Dimmer, Brian Martin, et al (1996): «¿Ponerse en cuclillas para la prevención de las hemorroides?» Archivado el 4 de septiembre de 2007 en Wayback Machine., Estudios del Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad de Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; publicado en la Carta de Townsend para doctores y pacientes, tema n.º 159, octubre de 1996, pp. 66-70.: http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/96tldp.html
High-end washlets also allow you to select a pulsating jet. The manufacturers claim that this helps in cases of hemorrhoids[2] and constipation, and Dr. Hiroshi Ojima states[3] that these toilets are popular because of the low fiber consumption and the high rate of constipation in Japan. More advanced washlets can even mix warm water with soap to enhance the cleaning process.
The washlet can replace toilet paper completely, but many users choose to improve hygiene in combination with the mechanical action of the paper. This also depends on the region being cleaned, and cleaning the vulva may not require the use of paper. In addition, this could be of great help for those who cannot use toilet paper, such as people who suffer from anal fissures or hemorrhoids.
Another commonly found feature is the dryer, often adjustable between 40 and 60°C to dry regions that have been wet after using the integrated bidet.
Others are: the seat heater, which can be adjusted between 30 and 40 °C; an automated lid with proximity detector, which opens and closes according to the user's position; automatic emptying of the cistern; automatic air deodorization; and germ-resistant surface.
Some models specially designed for the elderly include armrests to help the user get up after use.
A "soft close" function reduces the speed of lowering the toilet lid when closed to prevent noise, or in some models the lid automatically lowers some time after being used.
The most recent introduction is the ozone deodorization system, which is capable of quickly removing odor from waste.
Also, the latest models store usage times and have an energy saving system that only keeps the seat warm during the periods in which the system predicts it will be used, based on previous uses.
Some glow in the dark or even have air conditioning for warm summer days.
Another recent innovation is smart sensors that detect if someone is facing the toilet and facing it, in which case they lift the lid and seat, or, if the person's back is turned, they only lift the lid.
Recently, researchers have incorporated medical sensors that can measure blood sugar based on urine, as well as pulse, blood pressure, and fat content in the user's body. Other applications are being investigated. This data could be automatically sent to the doctor via a cell phone with Internet access. However, these devices are still very rare in Japan, and their future commercial success is difficult to predict.
A voice-operated one that understands verbal commands is in development.
TOTO, Nais, and other companies also make portable, battery-powered “travel washlets,” which must be refilled with warm water before use.
The seat heating function is very common, and is available even in toilets without a built-in bidet. It is often used as an example of unnecessary technology, but in a house without central heating, the toilet may be only a few degrees above zero in winter, and a preheated seat may not seem so frivolous.
High-end washlets also allow you to select a pulsating jet. The manufacturers claim that this helps in cases of hemorrhoids[2] and constipation, and Dr. Hiroshi Ojima states[3] that these toilets are popular because of the low fiber consumption and the high rate of constipation in Japan. More advanced washlets can even mix warm water with soap to enhance the cleaning process.
The washlet can replace toilet paper completely, but many users choose to improve hygiene in combination with the mechanical action of the paper. This also depends on the region being cleaned, and cleaning the vulva may not require the use of paper. In addition, this could be of great help for those who cannot use toilet paper, such as people who suffer from anal fissures or hemorrhoids.
Another commonly found feature is the dryer, often adjustable between 40 and 60°C to dry regions that have been wet after using the integrated bidet.
Others are: the seat heater, which can be adjusted between 30 and 40 °C; an automated lid with proximity detector, which opens and closes according to the user's position; automatic emptying of the cistern; automatic air deodorization; and germ-resistant surface.
Some models specially designed for the elderly include armrests to help the user get up after use.
A "soft close" function reduces the speed of lowering the toilet lid when closed to prevent noise, or in some models the lid automatically lowers some time after being used.
The most recent introduction is the ozone deodorization system, which is capable of quickly removing odor from waste.
Also, the latest models store usage times and have an energy saving system that only keeps the seat warm during the periods in which the system predicts it will be used, based on previous uses.
Some glow in the dark or even have air conditioning for warm summer days.
Another recent innovation is smart sensors that detect if someone is facing the toilet and facing it, in which case they lift the lid and seat, or, if the person's back is turned, they only lift the lid.
Recently, researchers have incorporated medical sensors that can measure blood sugar based on urine, as well as pulse, blood pressure, and fat content in the user's body. Other applications are being investigated. This data could be automatically sent to the doctor via a cell phone with Internet access. However, these devices are still very rare in Japan, and their future commercial success is difficult to predict.
A voice-operated one that understands verbal commands is in development.
TOTO, Nais, and other companies also make portable, battery-powered “travel washlets,” which must be refilled with warm water before use.
The seat heating function is very common, and is available even in toilets without a built-in bidet. It is often used as an example of unnecessary technology, but in a house without central heating, the toilet may be only a few degrees above zero in winter, and a preheated seat may not seem so frivolous.