Why are Japanese toilets so high-tech?

As we use the lavatory several times a day, a great deal of attention is given to technologies that make toilets clean. To the Japanese, to be “cleaned” means “hygienically cleaned”, that is, guarding oneself against infection or disease, and this must first come from keeping the hands and lavatory “clean”.

The age of high-tech toilets in Japan started in 1980. Since then, the country has been replacing regular flush toilets with modern style washlets, providing users a wide variety of functions like bidet heated seats, nozzles (warm water jets) and flushing at the touch of a button, and even some seats and lids can be raised and lowered automatically. Recent years have seen the appearance of antibacterial toilet seats and toilets that consume very little water, not to mention, eco-friendly customized toilets catering to the needs the graying society and the blinds.

In the crowded living conditions of Japanese cities, the toilet is one of the few rooms in the house that allows for privacy. As most houses lack central heating, the little space heating on the toilet seat can be quite comfortable and enjoyable to sit on. Some toilet rooms are filled with character goods, pictures and fans’ posters, others are equipped with shelves for books or newspaper reading.

The toilet is not only a place to relief yourself. With technologies, toilets not only make our lives more comfortable but play an important role in maintaining personal and conserving environmental health.