{"id":2400,"date":"2015-03-19T03:02:57","date_gmt":"2015-03-18T18:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.fromjapan.co.jp\/en\/?p=2400"},"modified":"2019-07-03T15:05:17","modified_gmt":"2019-07-03T06:05:17","slug":"high-tech-japanese-toilets-are-terrible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.fromjapan.co.jp\/en\/japanese-culture\/high-tech-japanese-toilets-are-terrible.html","title":{"rendered":"High-Tech Japanese Toilets are Awesome!"},"content":{"rendered":"

11 Reasons Why Japanese Toilets Are Awesome<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Japanese<\/p>\n

Perhaps you\u2019ve heard of them\u2013these majestic plastic thrones with the latest in rear-end pampering technology. To the Western eye they are a fabled bathroom wonder only available to Hollywood\u2019s super-rich, but in Japan these \u201cwashlet\u201d toilets are accessible to all, from train stations to shopping malls to private commodes, with 72% of Japanese households now performing their daily duty atop these electronic bidet toilets.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

East Meets West: History of the Bidet Toilet in Japan<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What many people think of as \u201cthose fancy Japanese toilets\u201d are actually called Youshiki, which translates to Western-style toilets. The sitting-position toilet was introduced to the country at the beginning of the 20th century, but became much more common in the post-war period due to the American occupation. By 1977, Western toilets began to outsell the traditional squat toilets, known as washiki (or the toilet that foreigners quizzically stare at when opening a restroom stall in Japan).<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until 1980 that Toto designed the first washlet based on bidet technology from Switzerland and the United States. The term \u201cwashlet\u201d is actually a trademarked name by its inventor but has since been generally accepted as the word to describe (fantastical) electric toilet seats with mostly gentle washing features.<\/p>\n

A Primer on Japanese Washlet Features<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Bidet\/Rear Wash<\/h3>\n

\"Japanese<\/p>\n

The most common feature that Japanese toilets come equipped with is an automated bidet (feminine) and rear wash, which acts like a carwash for your undercarriage. When activated, a nozzle extends and releases a stream of water to thoroughly clean what toilet paper can\u2019t. There are often controls for both water pressure and nozzle position, creating a kind of first shooter experience. While early models were occasionally less than forgiving when it came to spraying unsuspecting users in the face when not seated, today\u2019s models are guaranteed to come equipped with pressure sensors that will only activate this feature when the user is seated (cross our heart).<\/p>\n

\"Japanese
Image does not reflect the power of the bidet. It is more gentle!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Blow Dryer<\/h3>\n

Many washlets have a blow-drying feature to gently caress your newly bathed bums with the equivalent of a gentle spring breeze. This feature not only feels refreshing, but combined with the washing function, it eliminates the need for painful toilet paper which saves you money and the Amazon. If anything defines toilet luxury, it would have to be a completely dry bum at the touch of a button.<\/p>\n

\"Japanese<\/p>\n

Seat Warmer<\/h3>\n

The automatic seat warmer is perhaps our favorite feature. If you don\u2019t understand why, you\u2019ve probably never 1) spent a night in a Japanese home 2) in the winter 3) with no central heating. Bathrooms temps can drop to near-freezing, and the idea of venturing out from underneath a warm nest of blankets in the early morning to sit on a frigid toilet seat is enough to make holding it in until dawn seem like the lesser of two evils. Thus, a warm seat is hands down one of the best features of a Japanese super toilet. The latest models even have an energy-saving mode that records when you most often use the toilet and automatically heats the seat during those times.<\/p>\n

\"Japanese<\/p>\n

Deodorizer<\/h3>\n

A pretty self-explanatory yet much-appreciated feature, the deodorizer automatically deodorizes the air after you\u2019re done exerting yourself. Particularly useful when using a toilet at the office or in your in-laws home!<\/p>\n

\"Japanese<\/p>\n

Antibacterial Seats<\/h3>\n