Japanese toilet

ज्ञानकोश: - The Indological Knowledgebase

There are three types of toilets commonly found in Japan. The oldest type is a simple squat toilet, which is still common in public restrooms. AfterWorld War II, modern Western-type flush toilets and urinals became common. The current state of the art is bidet toilets, which, as of 2004, are installed in more than half of Japanese households. In Japan, these bidets are commonly called Washlets (ウォシュレット), a brand name of Tokyo-based Toto Ltd., and include many advanced features, rarely seen outside of Japan.

3.1 Squat toilet
3.2 Western-style flush toilets
3.3 High tech Japanese bidets
3.4 Male and female urinals

4.1 The Sound Princess
4.2 Bathroom slippers

History

Toilets have been used in Japan since the start of civilization, although the exact construction and use is unknown. The earliest sewer systems are from the Yayoi period (300 BC to A.D. 250). These systems were used in larger settlements, probably in combination with toilets. During the Nara period (710 to784), a drainage system was created in the capital in Nara. The earliest known toilets in Japan also date back to that time, being constructed over an open pit similar to an outhouse. In earlier days seaweed was used for cleaning, but by the Edo period, these were instead replaced by toilet paper that usedwashi. In the mountainous regions, wooden scrapers and large leaves were used as well. Often, toilets were also constructed over a running stream ofwater. However, historically, pit toilets were more common, as they were easier to build and also allowed the reuse of the feces as fertilizer — very important in a country where Buddhism and its associated vegetarianism generally prevented livestock raising. In fact, the waste products of rich people were sold at higher prices because their diet was better. This practice stopped after World War II for sanitary reasons and with the proliferation of chemical fertilizers. Historically, Japan had a much higher standard of hygiene than, for example, Europe, and the orderly disposal of human waste was standard, while in Europe sewage was simply dumped on the streets throughout much of the continent’s early history.

In Okinawa, the toilet was often attached to the pig pen, and the pigs were fed with the human waste product. This practice was stopped after World War II.

During the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568 to 1600), the “Taiko Sewerage” was built around Osaka Castle, and it is still existing and functioning today. The use of modern sewage systems began in 1884, with the installation of the first brick and ceramic sewer in Kanda in Tokyo. More plumbing and sewage systems were installed after the Great Kanto earthquake to avoid diseases after future earthquakes. However, the construction of sewers increased only after World War II to cope with the waste products of larger and larger population centers. In the year2000, 60% of the population was connected to a sewer system.

Western-style toilets and urinals started to appear in Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, but only after World War II did their use become more widespread due to the influence of theAmerican occupation. In 1977, the sale of Western-style toilets exceeded the sale of traditional squat toilets in Japan. Based on toilets with a built-in bidet from Switzerland and the U.S., the world’s largest bathroom fixtures company Toto introduced the Washlet in 1980. Japanese companies currently produce some of the most advanced high tech toilets worldwide.