Toilets in Japan - Cultural Aspects

Cultural Aspects

In Japan, being clean is very important, and some Japanese words for 'clean' can be used to describe beauty. The word kirei (きれい, 綺麗) can be defined as "pretty, beautiful; clean; pure; orderly." This may explain the success of the high-tech toilet with a built-in bidet. There is also a large market for deodorants and air fresheners that add a pleasant scent to the area.

In the often crowded living conditions of Japanese cities and with the lack of rooms that can be locked from inside in a traditional Japanese house, the toilet is one of the few rooms in the house that allows for privacy. Some toilet rooms are equipped with a bookshelf, in others people may enter with a newspaper, and some are even filled with character goods and posters. Even so, these toilets are, whenever possible, in rooms separate from those for bathing. This is due to the ethic of separating clean from unclean, and this fact is a selling point in properties for rent.

Both the traditional squat toilet and the high-tech toilet are a source of confusion for foreigners unaccustomed to these devices. There are humorous reports of individuals using a toilet, and randomly pressing buttons on the control panel either out of curiosity or in search for the flushing control, and suddenly to his horror receiving a jet of water directed at his genitals or anus. As the water jet continues for a few seconds after he jumps up, he also gets himself or the bathroom wet. Many Japanese toilets now feature pressure sensitive seats that automatically shut off the bidet when the person gets up. Many also have the buttons written in English to reduce the culture shock.