Chuckle! It's young lady! And it's a penchant for green tea (not beer) that provokes all those toilet visits when my body's still adjusting to the 9 hour time shift (I don't get embarrassed with taking 2 or 3 trips to the bathroom, it's the 6th and 7th visit that make me feel self-concious, especially if the door creaks or if my slippers squeak on the corridor). And now I've been traumatised by kidney stones, I drink a LOT more than before. Ensuite WC for me onegai shimasu! Thankfully, it's rare when I can't find a budget room for two with a WC at a similar price for what it would cost somewhere with shared facilities. Eg: ensuite room for 2 at Ryokan Toukaisou, Tokyo costs the same as a double room, shared, at Hotel Juyoh.

Once I've acclimatised to the time difference, however, I'll happily go back to sharing - some of the most delightful hotels I've ever been to were traditional inns in Japan with shared toilets and even baths. But with western hotels, I've never felt the need to, not when travelling as a couple. I kind of feel sorry for some people who travel around Japan in luxury - those chats with older ladies in a shared bath are some of my most cherished memories of this country.