Opinion

Japanese toilet transforms restroom experience

Rolling out of bed after hitting the snooze button one too many times, the typical morning routine begins: bathroom, shower, breakfast.

A boring routine, but that can be changed when a “washlet” is introduced. A little known lavatory masterpiece, the Japanese toilet, will transform any restroom experience.  

The Japanese toilet is the iron throne of toilets. Get one, and watch family members fight over it. 

A wide variety of models and functions are available from manufactures like Toto and Brondell.

A few game changers include heated seats, motion sensors that open the lid when someone walks in the room, and luxury remote controls that provide easy-to-use buttons for washing, drying and temperature adjustment needs.

The modern “washlet” Japanese toilet has been around since 1917, trademarked by the Toto Co. Toto is the world’s largest manufacturer, based in Japan, and Brondell is the largest manufacturer based in North America.

President of Brondell, Steve Scheer hopes that one day Americans will embrace the Japanese toilet, and realize the advantages of such a product.

“For Americans here in the US, the biggest issues are personal experience with these products and a major reluctance to discuss bathroom issues or change ingrained habits,” Scheer said. 

“You wouldn’t imagine how many people giggle nervously or say ‘gross’ when we try to educate them about the advantages of the bidet seat, yet these are the same people that are still using paper – a much inferior way to cleanse oneself.”

Japanese toilets are the toilets of the future. They render the use of toilet paper obsolete. 

“The first time the gentle stream of warm water hits your derriere, it’s quite startling. By the second time the water hits its mark, you’re a convert,” writer for Priceonomics, Rohin Dhar said.

We should all be using Japanese toilets because the benefits are numerous. They offer a hassle-free experience, a more hygienic way of cleaning oneself, and an eco-friendly approach that saves trees. 

A hassle free, no touch experience will provide anyone who is leery of the public toilet to feel at ease knowing that it has a self-washing bowl. 

Personally, I wouldn’t want a public toilet to have a heated seat, but when it comes to the Japanese toilet, the options are almost unlimited. 

Try one, and see why they are the biggest and best thing since sliced bread.