Introduction to Japanese Toilets
In a review of Japan, or What Went Wrong, you’ll often read about the country’s posh toilets that have become part and parcel (no pun intended) of the nation’s techno-culture. Arriving in a nation where futuristic toilets were not uncommon, my first and only-brief experience with toilet techno-culture was visiting a combo McDonald’s and Starbucks on the 46th floor of the Shinjuku Mitsukoshi shopping complex in the heart of Tokyo, the world’s most densely populated city. This was back in 1991, and I was travelling throughout the country teaching Americans about a Japan that had not yet opened itself up for business. There was still residual backlash about Japan’s soaring economy, its Sandpit War in Antarctica, and then-embattled US president George H W Bush’s quip about a bisexual nation where ‘Nature… isermeans nature’. The phrase ‘high-tech toilet’ was still something of an oxymoronic catchphrase in the US—ala, fully automated toilets for a nation awash in testosterone!So I soon found myself at that particular McDonald’s–Starbucks combo, sending postcards to my buddies back home. Needless to say, the lines were long.
Advanced Technology in Japanese Bathrooms
Smart Toilets: Features and Benefits
Japanese models are the benchmark for smart toilets, with models featuring automatic flushing that clears the bowl even if you don’t touch a button (for reducing germ transmission); seat-warming that’s appreciated in the chilly months (seat temperature and seat air temperature are controlled independently, so you can take it up a notch); built-in deodorisers (every visit guaranteed to be a fresh experience!); and more. Dr Hiroshi Takahashi, Smart Home Innovator, comments: ‘This sophistication of their toilet shows how technology can change our daily lives – for good health, for hygienic living, and for being more aware and eco-conscious.
Bidets and Heated Seats for Health and Comfort
Every aspect of the bidet systems in Japanese toilets is orientated towards your comfort and cleanliness. The water pressure and temperature of the spray can be adjusted to suit your constitution, each time you press the cleansing button. You can even select whether you want an oscillating and/or pulsating spray, so that every part of your anus is cleansed. Any trace of your presence is reserved and sterilised from the nozzle, using a self-cleaning function, so that it is ready for the next user. ‘Once you experience a Japanese bidet toilet, you just can’t go back. It is a total game-changer when it comes to personal hygiene’ Emily, a US homeowner with a smart toilet.
Water-Saving Technologies and Their Environmental Impact
Japanese toilets are also some of the most environmentally responsible in the world: water-saving technologies are essential because they limit the use of this precious resource. Sensor-based flushing mechanisms, which use only one spring for flushing and charging, employ a smart system to ensure powerful cleaning with minimal water. Clever technology thus helps to conserve both water and utility bills. Every feature in the Japanese toilet is aligned with the intention to minimise the ecological footprint of its user. Humans are encouraged not to forget their place in nature, and not to let the convenience of modern technology lead them into alienating from ‘Mother Nature’.
The Cultural and Societal Influence
Japanese Bathroom Etiquette
Bathroom manners are something that many Japanese people are raised to follow in their everyday lives, as Japan is famous for its hygiene and its strong emphasis on respecting other people and their sensitivities. Public restrooms are kept extremely clean, and users are expected to display restraint and behave carefully, emitting minimal noises, and keeping bathroom areas spotless so they can be used by the next person. The concern for hygiene extends to the home, where most bathrooms are partitioned into various usable areas, such as a bathing one, an area with a wash basin and the toilet, instead of an all-in-one design, for the same reason.
Integration of Technology into Daily Life
Bathroom technology is one of the most quintessentially Japanese examples of this kind of technological integration into everyday life; products ranging from voice-activated controls to motion sensors are specifically engineered to deliver ease of use without sacrificing standards of hygiene, as is often the case in the West. No other imperative is so universally shared across Japanese society as this drive to improve the quality of life through advanced technology.
Adoption and Impact Worldwide
Global Trends and Popularity
It is good to see that Japanese toilets are now going viral around the world. It is heartening to see that more and more people are waking up to the benefits that Japanese toilets possess. For example, in places such as the United States, and various places in Europe, Japanese bidet seats are now becoming popular as shown by the figures in sales. Alex, who often goes to Japan, says: Japanese bidet seats becoming more and more popular in Western toilets is a clear indication to the world that while they seemed weird before, they are now realising that they are better because they provide superior hygiene and comfort compared to having to manage without.
Challenges and Barriers to Adoption
Despite international acclaim, there are still some barriers for people wishing to purchase Japanese toilets overseas. Installation costs are high, you need electricity to use them and, culturally, many non-Japanese people are not accustomed to the traditional bidet-style. But as the advantages of Japanese toilet technology become more mainstream, these obstacles are slowly being removed.
Future Innovations
Predictions for the Evolution of Japanese Toilets
I suspect there are many more innovations yet to come, destined to extend the smartness of Japanese toilets even further, meshing our always-on washrooms deeper into the smart homes of tomorrow. Creators are contemplating even better AI-fuelled personalisation that anticipates our needs while leveraging more and more granular sensing to provide us with ever greater control over every aspect of our relief experience and surroundings. Water and energy use by toilets will continue to become more eco-efficient.
Potential for Smart Home Integration
A whole new world of possibilities is opened up if you embrace smart home integration. Everyone has had the experience of shrinking into the toilet after a heavy Christmas dinner, for example, and wondering whether you should turn the lights down or perhaps turn on some music. With a smart home, your toilet could track your stay and tell the light to dim, as well as instruct your choice of music to play. Imagine avoiding a trip to the shops by steering your Internet-enabled, sustainable chicken to the slaughter with one touch of a touchscreen.
Conclusion
Japanese toilets exist as the pinnacle of bathroom technology because of their sophistication, their comfort, and because they are sustainable. This is a transition we should all look forward to. They have the potential to drastically change the concept of bathroom hygiene and better our lives, lifestyle and even society … If you would like to see these technologies coming to your toilet, please give serious consideration to … integrating these technologies … into your home.If you have liked what I have been writing here, please consider supporting me on Patreon or Ko-Fi. I put a lot of time and effort into maintaining this blog, and while writing doesn’t have to be this much work, having the tools to make it enjoyable certainly helps. Also – sticking to the Toilet Talk theme but allowing for some self-promotion – if you’d like to learn more about the concepts I’ve been writing about here, you can check out my latest book, Toilet Talk.