In Japan, you are going to realize that although it is a modern, seemingly Westernized country, there are still places that retain old-world technologies.
Namely, the toilet.
Now, this is a picture of a toilet as we are familiar with in the United States:
Known as a western-style toilet, it is made of porcelain and is built in the image of a chair in which a person can sit down when necessary. Of course, Japan is famous for taking Western technology, breaking it down and then reshaping it into a better, more efficient version:
Note the built-in sink that allows one to wash hands before it filters down into the toilet basin in order to not waste water. Of course, if that's not enough...
Clearly, the ability to heat the seat, transform the toilet into a bidet or as a separate spout, a "bottom" cleaner (note there is a powerful or mild setting). Some come with so many buttons that it becomes almost a challenge for the foreigner to be able to tell where to press for flushing.
With all this fabulous technology, it comes to a bit of a surprise (to me) that here in Shikoku, the Eastern-style toilet, otherwise known as a squat toilet, is more popular in practice. Also made of porcelain, it is a oblong in shape with an arch covering on one side. This covering is meant to trap the urine from spraying outside the toilet (although other countries sometimes do not have this rather useful device and I don't want to know how messy that can get). The user must squat facing the cove, getting as close as possible. It is advised to keep all loose particles of clothing safely out of range in order to avoid accidents:
Of course, where would a country be if the poor didn't have an 'outhouse' version as well, free of pipes and little more than a hole in the ground:
6 comments:
In Greece they don't throw toilet paper down the toilet. They have a separate trash can to throw that in. This was very interesting. I think the only thing I'd be afraid of with the squat toilet is falling backwards or forwards.
But what about the smell?! My word! It's like kitty litter or dirty diapers just sitting around!
This is hysterical! Wow, can't believe what is involved. Not only the smell but do the rather large insects who live among you crawl out while squatting to take care of business? What if, ummm, you need some time to complete things? Don't people get tired of squatting at some point? What about where you just returned from vacation? Same scenario? Truly amazing!!
O.K. these toilet options can most definitely create a bit of stress - do you sit or squat? Is there going to be a bug showing up at the most inappropriate moment? Forget about the smell..its the bugs I would really be concerned with! The list could be endless! Hmmm...so what kind of toilet do you have? Titi
you squat. you never EVER under any circumstances sit on a squat toilet. no.
in taiwan you aren't allowed to throw toilet paper down the holes in the squat toilets, either. AND you have to bring your own toilet paper, too.
let me personally say, squat toilets certainly make girls hate certain times of the month even more than they already do, if you know what i mean.
does get those calf & quad muscles nice and strong, though.
"What about the smell," is exactly what i said. I wouldn't know about the smell because i always went american and flushed everything.
Also, I'm not sure if you put this in your post, but my toilet here has an "ooki flush" and a "chisai flush" big and small.
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