We can learn a lot from Japanese toilet design and etiquette, writes Peggy Loh
I MISS Japan’s well-equipped, ultra-clean Western-style toilets that come with a bidet or what they call a washlet.
I was so impressed that the public toilets in train stations, tourist sites and malls are so well maintained.
Tourists who have used Japanese hi-tech toilets will agree that these are the ultimate in toilet sophistication.
The Japanese, who are fastidious about personal cleanliness, have added features to the Western toilet to provide a range of services at the touch of a button.
A control panel is attached to the side of the toilet seat or mounted on the wall.
Those who are unfamiliar with these hi-tech toilets need not worry because the instructions are in English and Japanese as well as Braille.
While some sophisticated toilets may have special features like automatic lid opening, blow dryer and massage options, the standard features are water jet adjustments and automatic flushing.
The seat heating feature is very comforting, especially on a freezing winter’s day.
Many toilets feature pressure sensitive seats that automatically start the water running for a few seconds before it stops and the bidet function can be activated.
On a visit to another public toilet, I was at first quite alarmed to hear the artificial sound of running water in the privacy of my cubicle but soon realised that the sound came from a device mounted on the wall.
The sound went on and on until I was done and I read the instruction on the device: “In order to flush, please cover the window below with your hand.”
When I placed my hand over the window with a tiny blinking light, the toilet flushed and the artificial sound of running water stopped.
Amused by this experience, I asked Hiro-san, our Japanese guide, who was always patiently waiting for me to leave the comfort of the public toilet, about that strange sound of running water in the toilet.
He smiled and said: “Japanese people, very embarrassed” (about bodily function noises).
We can learn a lot from Japanese toilet design and etiquette.