You win, Japan... bonus post!

As promised, I am giving you an extra post for three major reasons:

1. I didn't give a picture of the day two posts ago
2. I was incredibly late in recounting day four
3. I've been meaning to post about this for a while and it really deserves it's own post.

So, here it is. You've been warned.

Can we talk for a minute about... toilets? Yeah. Toilets.

Because while Japan is known for many things, it should really be known for them. For serial. Because Japan is number 1 when it comes to, um. Number 1. And 2.

Stop looking at me like that.

I don't know what you know about Japan or Asia, but know this: they do the bathroom right. And I know that I'm gonna search for one of their toilets when I get home.

I know. You're sitting there, going, "Really, Monkee? A post on toilets?"

Yes. Pay attention.

While squat toilets still exist here in Japan (which, really, their squat toilets are even fairly nice, considering), they've gone above and beyond when it comes to regular toilets. Why?

Nearly every toilet I've used here has a panel either attached to the toilet or on the wall that has a bidet, a spray, or a noise maker (like running water or a toilet flushing continuously). Each one has a water pressure gauge and a stop button. Additional options have included warming seats, air deodorizers, air, the seat to go up when you enter the stall, and/or automatic flush.

This is your basic:


Taken at Narita Airport in Tokyo. You'll notice the rough English translation, which really was the impetus for me to take the pic in the first place. But that's your basic wall panel. It's sometimes on the side of the toilet in a little panel.

This is your fancy wall panel at a nice restaurant:


You can control the actual temperature of the water. Niiice.

This was at the really fantastic offices of the Legislature, by the Diet building:


Notice the button on the right, the air. You have the option of air drying your butt. And the panel above is where you flush, just hold your hand over where that arrow tells you to and it flushes. Pleasantly, if I might add.

No way, you say. There's more: for women that need to take a little boy into the women's room, some bathrooms even include a urinal for them - at their height. I'm not kidding. I felt like a giant.



So there you have it. I should also mention that I have yet to walk into an even slightly dirty bathroom - though there was one at a Lawson's convenience store that smelled lightly, and rather strangely, of kitty litter. But even then, the bathroom was spotless.

I mean, there are bathrooms in the US that I wouldn't walk into with a full-on, head to toe, hazard suit, complete with separate oxygen tank. And don't even get me started on bathroom etiquette - including simple things like... flushing. Come on, ladies. But the Japanese, they believe in sanitation and cleanliness. Everywhere you go, there are hand sanitizers. The Japanese are a very tidy people, so it would make sense that even their bathrooms are tidy. Everything is also mostly automatic, as if the Japanese don't want you to have anything to ever touch while in there. I've noticed many doors here are automatic doors, very few to have to pull open.

And for a crazy-anal-retentive-germaphobic-daughter-of-an-infection-control-nurse-so-i-hate-getting-my-hands-dirty-even-when-eating-chicken-wings kind of person, let's just say it's a welcome respite when traveling in a foreign country. Hell, it would be a welcome respite when traveling domestically as well. From restaurants to bars to gas station bathrooms, I have yet to find anything that could or would be considered dirty, let alone horrible.

But in all honesty, their bathrooms are something to marvel at. And worthy of a post standing completely on their own.

Go on, Japan. You make time in the bathroom enjoyable. Even if you didn't go and all you did was try (I couldn't help it).

And that was your bonus post of the Japan trip. Worth it, I think. Every moment is a learning moment. Don't you worry. I'll be continuing to take pictures of new things in bathrooms as I go along. I'll be sure to update you on any progress. And I can also take a picture of a squat toilet if you'd like.

Well met. See you next post.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Tokyo, Japan