My first experience with the wealth of Japanese toilet options occurred at the Tokyo airport. I was happy to see a women's restroom fairly soon after we exited the plane, but a bit confounded when the first stall I came to contained only a porcelain bowl in the floor. Then I noticed that every stall had a pictogram outside that indicated what type of toilet it contained. In addition to the floor bowl, there were sit-down toilets, toilets with spray options (more on this in a minute), stalls with changing tables, and stalls with a shelf seat where a mother could put a child. And, of course, all were Toto. Wow!
When we got to our hotel, we had a Toto Washlet toilet. Here's a picture of the controls, and also the instructions attached to the bathroom wall:
And, yes, I tried them all!
Oct 18 Addendum:
Had to add today's new Toto experience: a heated toilet seat at the inn where we are staying the night!! True luxury.
Oct 20 Addendum:
On the trail today, Cathy told me she has heard there are Toto toilets that have a fan to dry you. Think of the toilet paper savings!
Oct 22 Addendum:
Ask and you shall receive! Our minshuku in Tsumago had the air dry feature. It was a pretty spiffy toilet - you flushed using a control pad mounted on the wall, conveniently located just above the toilet paper, a first for me.
My travel companions get a laugh from my obsession to photograph Japanese toilets. Even so, I notice our dinner conversations often include new toilet features we have discovered that day!
To add my 5 yen's worth.....
ReplyDeleteThe kanji from your photo indicating "feces" actually means BIG (as in flush)
and that for "urine" means LITTLE. Ecologially right up your alley.
You forgot to mention the sound features which are meant to disquise whatever AND the deodorizer button.
If Dorothy only knew, she would have left Kansas in a heartbeat.