Public bathrooms in Japan-how easy to find? Cleanliness?
Dec 8, 2014, 11:06 am
#31
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I had about 85% luck with loos in Japan - for the most part clean, and had loo roll (almost none had anywhere to dry your hands after washing to - those pocket squares come in very useful!) I don't mind squat toilets, I've come across them enough times and dress accordingly (skirts are your friend!) provided they are clean. Also found a decent number of western loos which I wasn't expecting necessarily, and I noticed that several tourist places had a loo 'map' as you came in so you could pick your loo style accordingly. It helped when there was a line up of tourists that I was happy to use either style!
But the bad was very bad, and I suspect it was tourists to blame, as Japanese natives would probably have mastered the art of using squat toilets. On two occasions I visited loos where the person before me had not managed to 'aim' over the floor toilets and clearly had upset stomachs. I actually threw up a little in my mouth and am feeling queasy thinking about it now! One was a small train station on the outskirts of Kyoto, the other was at a tourist attraction.
But the bad was very bad, and I suspect it was tourists to blame, as Japanese natives would probably have mastered the art of using squat toilets. On two occasions I visited loos where the person before me had not managed to 'aim' over the floor toilets and clearly had upset stomachs. I actually threw up a little in my mouth and am feeling queasy thinking about it now! One was a small train station on the outskirts of Kyoto, the other was at a tourist attraction.
Dec 8, 2014, 8:09 pm
#33
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Nah.
ONESIES are your nemesis. (And there are parents who send their 5 year olds to school in those things
)
From the other perspective, I did finally understand why there might be Japanese people who are resistant to the wholesale implementation of Western toilets on my wedding day. I was in my mother-in-law's furisode, trussed up like a beef tenderloin. A squat toilet would have been easy whereas the British toilet was definitely a challenge.
ONESIES are your nemesis. (And there are parents who send their 5 year olds to school in those things
)From the other perspective, I did finally understand why there might be Japanese people who are resistant to the wholesale implementation of Western toilets on my wedding day. I was in my mother-in-law's furisode, trussed up like a beef tenderloin. A squat toilet would have been easy whereas the British toilet was definitely a challenge.
Last edited by LapLap; Dec 8, 2014 at 8:20 pm
Dec 9, 2014, 12:59 am
#34
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If anything, you should be washing your hands before touching your wiener.
Dec 16, 2014, 6:04 pm
#37
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I just spent a week in Tokyo and saw plenty of Japanese style toilets in women's restrooms; in large department stores, restaurants, and in the Tokyo Station. All restrooms also had western style toilets. Some of the restrooms were the nicest and cleanest public restrooms I have ever seen. Some had towels for drying hands, some had air dryers and some had nothing to dry hands.
Dec 16, 2014, 8:03 pm
#38
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Roll up your pants before dropping trou.
Wear thicker-soled shoes or sandals.
Do squats at the gym with weights. It will help your balance, increase strength and help when camping and using squat toilets (especially with no. 2).
Back in 2008, I came across department store and train station washrooms with both western and squat toilets. Most were reasonably clean. Not so much the squat toilet on the train. There was one western toilet and 2 squat toilets all side by side. I didn't check the cleanliness of the western toilet 'cause the line was too long.
My quads are in excellent shape
Wear thicker-soled shoes or sandals.
Do squats at the gym with weights. It will help your balance, increase strength and help when camping and using squat toilets (especially with no. 2).
Back in 2008, I came across department store and train station washrooms with both western and squat toilets. Most were reasonably clean. Not so much the squat toilet on the train. There was one western toilet and 2 squat toilets all side by side. I didn't check the cleanliness of the western toilet 'cause the line was too long.
My quads are in excellent shape
Dec 16, 2014, 9:34 pm
#40
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Dec 17, 2014, 5:17 am
#41
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As mentioned, squat toilets were the preferred choice of my then 4 year old daughter. She may have felt rather differently had I dressed her in dungarees or onesies.
Dec 19, 2014, 7:07 am
#42
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Horse riders and skiiers will have no issues - school trip to France circa age 11, the riders among us couldn't understand why others were having issues with the holes in the ground!
Dec 19, 2014, 7:10 am
#43
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