Toilet Culture: The Bizarre Rise of Japan’s High Tech Toilets

Tranquility is not a word most people would use to describe their time in a public bathroom. Disgust? Sure. Awkwardness? Maybe. Shame? On occasion. But people might change their tune if they sat in a Tokyo department store bathroom, cheeks to climate-controlled seat, atop the Toto Washlet C100 — a $600 toilet. Quite frankly, the experience is sublime, which makes you wonder: how did the West miss out on this porcelain epiphany?

For those of you those not yet indoctrinated into the Washlet faith, let me explain. While the West is still stuck in the dark ages of toilet culture, in the last 30 years Japan has witnessed a profusion of high-tech toilet wizardry — led mostly by one brand, Toto’s Washlet. And it’s been a game changer. Want to lift the seat but not get your hands dirty? No problem, just push a button. Is the seat too cold for your sensitive behind? Well, there’s a button for that too. Built-in bidet? Check. Automatic deodorizer? Check. Flush with the click of a button? Check.

All of this amounts to a better bathroom experience, one that’s cleaner and more comfortable than your normal private time. And the Japanese people seem to think so, too, with the Wall Street Journal estimating that 70% of Japanese homes have a Washlet installed.