What is a Japanese toilet like?
John Johnson
Updated on May 23, 2026
A Japanese toilet or smart toilet, as it's often referred to, is a toilet built with smart technology. Put simply, this means smart toilets can interact with their user via remote control access. With a press of the button, you can flush, spray and dry. As the name suggests, Japanese toilets originated in Japan.
Why are Japanese toilets like that?
In public facilities, traditional style Japanese toilets, or toilets that do not have a tank, you can flush the toilet by pulling the lever at the back of the toilet. There are also models where the toilet can be flushed by pressing a button on the wall or hovering your hand over a sensor.How are the toilets different in Japan?
European countries often have a toilet and a bidet separate whilst Japan combines an electronic bidet with the toilet. The current state of the art for Western-style toilets in Japan is the bidet toilet, which, as of March 2016, is installed in 81% of Japanese households.Are Japanese toilets better?
Japanese toilets are marvels of technological innovation. They have integrated bidets, which squirt water to clean your private parts. They have dryers and heated seats. They use water efficiently, clean themselves and deodorize the air, so bathrooms actually smell good.Why is there no soap in Japanese bathrooms?
Why? Well, that's the way it is in Japan in traditional buildings and clearly it cuts down on installation cost. The idea is to just wash down your hand, not to do a proper hand wash with warm water and soap.Why You Need to Try a High-Tech Japanese Toilet
What countries squat poop?
Squat toilets, which travelers often expect in Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand, or Taiwan, are more common than you'd think. Before the throne-like, flush toilets which became popular in the 19th century, people used outhouses, chamber pots, or simply holes in the ground.Why are Japanese bathrooms so clean?
That's because in Japan, the toilet (the pinnacle of dirtiness) and the tub (the beacon of cleanliness) are almost always detached from one another, with the toilet contained in a small water closet and the shower and bath next door. Japanese people wonder why, with all that space in our McMansions, Americans choose to ...Are Japanese toilets self cleaning?
Self-Cleaning and DeodorizingCleaning a toilet is no one's favorite activity, so these Japanese toilets do it all on their own.