Yes, this was a very big deal for me.
A friend told me that I would thoroughly enjoy the Japanese toilets and want to come home and install one! I’ve used a bidet before in Europe, however, the toilets in Japan are on another level. I never had a cold tushy because of the heated seat, and the controls on almost every toilet I sat on had a whole host of options. From pressure controls to noise cancellation, these toilets are high tech, clean, and comfy! I usually do my business in the bathroom and get out; but I could have read a 900 page novel with each bathroom trip.
Yes, they still have washiki (squat) toilets but I didn’t see many of them this time compared to 29 years ago. And why would you want to squat when you can sit and warm up??
This whole toilet experience caused me to research bidets. Did you know that the modern electric bidet was a 20th century invention that was developed in the USA by Arnold Cohen who was helping his father with a medical condition? Where the heck are these toilets today in the U.S.? Well Mr. Cohen licensed the patent to the Japanese company, TOTO, and there you have it! Funny enough, I have a TOTO toilet but it doesn’t do anything except flush.
Bidets in homes are mandatory in Italy and Portugal. While not mandatory in Japan, I read that approximately 80% of homes have an integrated bidet-style Washlet. A Washlet is a high-tech TOTO toilet seat with lots of bells and whistles, essentially a spa for your tush—hygienic, warm water washing, heated seats, and air dryers (not the hand kind). Many of these toilets have self-cleaning nozzles, automatic opening lids (see my first video), and deodorizers. Come to think of it, no public bathroom I visited ever smelled bad.
At first I was nervous about pressing buttons..I didn’t know what surprise awaited my rear😳. However, it didn’t take long before I was experimenting. By the end (pun intended), I would have brought home a washlet as a souvenir. It could have been my emotional support potty on the airplane!
Side note, unless you’re using the lobby restroom in a hotel, not many bathrooms have paper towels to dry your hands. Some may have a token air dryer, but many don’t (a smaller portion don’t have soap). It’s common practice to bring your own towel in your bag to dry your hands in a public restroom. We ended up buying a Hello Kitty washcloth to use.
I already miss the toilets—my tush hasn’t been the same since.🚽❤️
Christina’s Journey Journal 