Japanese Toilets
Both signs ask customers not to *eat* or stay in the toilet for a prolonged period of time.
I dont think I could ever bring myself to eat in a toilet - especially when I have a severe case of the diarrhea where bits of watery poo would splash all over the place and end up *in* my food. If I was eating a curry pot noodle - I wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Most of the public toilets in Tokyo are pretty clean. Many of them don't have towels near the sink however - all Japanese seem to carry a handkerchief or tissues.
Some toilets in Shinjuku really stink and induce that "want-to-vomit" feeling. There must be a special word for this - you know when you start to go "uuegh, uuueeeghh!" I remember many toilets around Oxford street in London being the same smell. The worst toilets I encountered however were in Seattle. Toilets have these huge gaps in them so that you can see who's inside taking a dump. I was told that the doors were made like that as many drug takers used toilets to get their dose.
First time visitors to Japan may walk into a cubicle only to find that its a Japanese style toilet or "Washiki Toilet" (和式トイレ). Because your payload lands on the ceramic right below you (instead of in water), you immediately get a whiff of your fresh steamy cake. The design also allows to you inspect your cake close up - even if you dont want to.
