January 2026 - Tokyo Japan
We checked into our hotel in Tokyo, the Hilton.
Tokyo, Japan is widely considered the "mecca of modern toilets," where electronic bidet seats (often called "Washlets") are a cultural staple found in over 80% of households, hotels, and public restrooms.
Let's get personal and talk about bidets. Toilets are taken seriously in Japan and I don't get why it's not a worldwide phenomenon. I will admit that I was intimidated by it at first. I didn't know how to operate all the buttons and I was afraid I would press the wrong one but thankfully there is always an English translation and the pictures help.
It was unbelievable! I insisted John had to try but he was hesitant, and then he was sold!!!
Everywhere you go there is a bidet. I had heard some of our tour group who had connected in Tokyo raving to others about the toilets at the airport!
These high-tech bidets, like those from TOTO, also have features like heated seats, warm water sprays, and automatic lids, making them a luxurious experience, with options to buy them globally for home use.
These photos demonstrate the various "options" available.
Our hotel
In an ordinary cafe.
This one featured a "privacy" button, known as Oto-hime (Sound Princess), that plays sounds like running water or music to mask embarrassing bodily noises, preserving user dignity and saving water by reducing the need for frequent flushing, a tradition originating from women masking sounds with water in the Edo period.
This may have been the most techy, at the airport.
We also saw a toilet that had the wash basin over the flush, but I didn't get a photo!
When you wash your hands, the water goes into the flush container and is used for the next flush. It is a great water saving technique that I wish toilets worldwide would adapt.
The tap (faucet) in the wash basin was motion-activated.
When we visited Japan the toilets were much less sophisticated, but they still did the job of giving you a wash and a dry. You can buy them here, but they are quite expensive. I remember in Spain, they were separate appliances, one just for washing.
ReplyDeleteThe Toto Washlets were one of my favourite things about Japan too! Especially the "Princess" models, lol! Once I got home, my plain old regular North American toilet seemed very basic indeed.
ReplyDelete...Jackie, how did your fascination with wash rooms begin?
ReplyDelete