Toilet Troubles

When I was in Japan in the late 80’s and 90’s, the western style toilet was just coming into most places, although the traditional Japanese toilet was still in use. At the time, most tourist places had them but anywhere else one would have to ask, and maybe, even be taken for a walk to find one. My wife was walked for two or three blocks out of a restaurant by a hostess so she could find a western toilet.


The thing that got me about them was the occasional pictograph showing you how to use the western toilet. In reality, I would have needed a pictograph showing me how to use the Asian toilet.

There is certainly no way today, that I could possibly squat over a porcelain hole in the ground and “go”. One has to keep their pants and underwear at their ankles, any longish coat or shirt or sweater held up from the ground, and back over a hole trying not to soil something or other. Yuk!
I have included all I could find this afternoon, some from Japan and Malaysia and Cambodia, plus a “real” Japanese toilet so you can understand the dilemma.



To add to the problem, in the part where urinals exist, the bathrooms are coed. It is a bit unnerving to have women walking around behind you while you are at the urinal. When I complained about it, I was assured that Japanese women are used to this so it wasn’t a big deal for them. “I know”’ I explained, “My complaint was we were invaded by the women on our bus, the ones already with us, not the locals!”