No matter where you travel in the world, it becomes quite clear very quickly that your most preferred washroom facilities are always in your own home.  That being said, in developing countries, we find ourselves being obsessed with the washroom facility “status” (green, yellow, or NO), and much conversation or itineraries could be structured around such a topic.

If one were to measure the progressiveness of a society by their toilet, Japan would be at the top, right up there, beside the Starship Enterprise.  Beside the ridiculously fresh sushi, the labyrinth of a subway system, and the multitude of unique subcultures, one standout attribute of our time in Tokyo will be their wonderful toilets.

Every toilet (including public ones) are equipped with a series of buttons on the side of the toilet.  Here are a few worth noting:

1. Heated toilet seats – Forget about heated driveways people, this is definitely the way to go.
2. Built in bidet - Do not knock it until you have tried it.  This function also has varying water pressures.
3. Deodorizer – To easily refresh the air of your bathroom or stall after a longer visit.
4. Flushing sounds – This applies mainly for women public bathrooms.  A sound of flushing water is heard when one pushes this button to mask any other unsightly sounds.  I know that we have all wished for this function at least once, whether it be for ourselves, or others.

here is an example of the buttons from our hotel bathroom - no, I did not take my camera into the public ladies washroom stalls:

-joyce