That flushing sound....
Jun 29, 2008 | 5:30 am
#1
Original Poster
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 18,249
That flushing sound....
This one was new to me. A few days ago here, one of the magic toilet seats I used somewhere had a button that, when pressed, repeatedly generated the sound of a toilet being flushed (without actually flushing it, of course).
Japanese toilet seat engineering continues to lead the world!
Any other new useless improvements that I should be checking out on my last few days of this trip?
Japanese toilet seat engineering continues to lead the world!
Any other new useless improvements that I should be checking out on my last few days of this trip?
Jun 29, 2008 | 5:54 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NRT
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 10,045
Perhaps you were in the wrong bathroom. My sources tell me that the recorded flush sound has been a common feature of high-end ladies loos for many years.
It's not "useless" - it's actually saving the environment. How? It seems that some women use the sound of a flushing toilet to cover up the noises that accompany some bodily functions.
Replacing the flush sound recording with a sound clip from "When Harry Met Sally", could make for an entertaining Japanese TV show...
It's not "useless" - it's actually saving the environment. How? It seems that some women use the sound of a flushing toilet to cover up the noises that accompany some bodily functions.
Replacing the flush sound recording with a sound clip from "When Harry Met Sally", could make for an entertaining Japanese TV show...
Jun 29, 2008 | 5:56 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: UA, AA, WN, 7G, SPG (for now)
Posts: 513
It's a "modesty" button. There's a widespread habit of people (not just Japan, BTW) flushing the toilet to mask the noise of their farts. This practice, of course, wastes water. So, to have the same effect without the waste, the latest premium models have a "modesty" button.
Jun 29, 2008 | 6:03 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NRT
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 10,045
At the urinal, I wish they'd fart more to cover the sound of the elaborate hawk and spit routine.
Jun 29, 2008 | 6:25 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 19,069
as jib71 and ninja138 have said, it does save water as it stymies a real need [for some] to flush in order to mask their body*s propensity to call attention to itself. and who knows how many trees and human-hours unblocking toilets are saved as only a light layer of paper might be used to lessen splashbacks rather than an excessively heavy layer to dampen those tell-tale noises of impact [the commonly used western equivalent to electronic flushing sounds
].
Last edited by LapLap; Jun 29, 2008 at 6:32 am
Jun 29, 2008 | 11:00 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,866
One time I was coming back into Japan, happily esconced in the Narita Express. The guy across the aisle pulls out an onigiri, eats half of it, and spends the next 57 minutes making that incredibly irritating smacking sound. Can't imagine how this guy gets any sleep after a 9 course kaiseki meal.
Jun 30, 2008 | 7:47 am
#8
Original Poster
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 18,249
And I just thought it was just a side effect of that article in the Japanese constitution which requires every piece of machinery in the entire country to talk to you (but only provide useless information).
Haven't seen the toilet seat cover which snaps to attention yet, that sounds like something out of an episode of Gomer Pyle.
Haven't seen the toilet seat cover which snaps to attention yet, that sounds like something out of an episode of Gomer Pyle.
Jun 30, 2008 | 8:47 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA/HH/Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,612
Have mjm show you one of the bathrooms in the Roppongi Hills Residences. After a month there, going back to the US where you have to actually lift the lid and flush all by yourself seems like quite the tragedy.
Jun 30, 2008 | 9:19 am
#10
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,982
The thing that has always struck me about those is the Beep Beep Bbbbbbbbbbb.....
just before and as it shuts. Under normal circumstances, i.e. non-post bear visitation days, I am already channel surfing back in the living room before hearing the warning beeps preceding shutdown.
It is almost as if it is warning those subject to day dreaming (i.e the most definitely ponderous but not necessarily sonorous, although certainly those oblivious to the malodorous) that they are about to become encapsulated.
Jun 30, 2008 | 1:28 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA GS, Avis CHM, Marriott & SPG & PC Plat., Hyatt & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,548
Jun 30, 2008 | 1:53 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: Dirt
Posts: 949
The device is called Otohime, made by Toto, the premier purveyor of bathroom fixtures and the inventor of the Washlet.
It has been mentioned that one would expect to find this device in women's public rest room. If installed in a men's toilet, shouldn't it be called otoouji?
It has been mentioned that one would expect to find this device in women's public rest room. If installed in a men's toilet, shouldn't it be called otoouji?
Jun 30, 2008 | 6:12 pm
#14
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,982
The most recent iteration installed does in fact have a wall mounted removable remote control. About 5cm by 30 cm. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to stand outside the door with one of those causing shrieks of terror as I alternately dial up jets of ice and warm water on the posterior of my unsuspecting victim.
Jun 30, 2008 | 6:28 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA GS, Avis CHM, Marriott & SPG & PC Plat., Hyatt & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,548
The most recent iteration installed does in fact have a wall mounted removable remote control. About 5cm by 30 cm. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to stand outside the door with one of those causing shrieks of terror as I alternately dial up jets of ice and warm water on the posterior of my unsuspecting victim.
Anyhow, more fun would of course be to have a multi-remote control with all toilets in the house/apartment hooked up on one remote control, causing multiple shrieks of terror after that delicious backed bean dinner.
