Japanese Public Toilets
The first time I've seen something like this - was in Kawagoe.
It says "Do not pee or poo here" and presume that previously people have been dumping their goods in the area.
Which reminds me of an important topic - public toilets. Public toilets turn out to be quite smelly over here - the pee and poo vomit inducing smell assaults you when you walk in to some of the toilets. Some of the worst ones I've been to are in Shinjuku.
Many public toilets don't have paper and instead have a vending machine outside selling "chirigami" - paper to wipe your bottom. Public toilets over here commonly don't have towels to wipe your hands either.
The worst thing about Japanese toilets are the Japanese style hole-in-the-floor toilets where the previous person missed and left their goods on the floor for you to look at and enjoy.
Did you find the toilets clean or dirty when you visited Japan? How about the public toilets in your region - clean enough to eat your dinner off the floor or vomit city?
Hmmm.I feel sick after writing all that ^^;
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Government Agent
http://icepick314.dvdaf.com/
well...most Asians figure those hole-in-the-ground toilets are cleaner than western sit-on-a-can toilet since you don't touch anything with your butt...
personally i don't like to use public toilets unless it's absolutely necessary...
most Japanese toilets are pretty clean, though....
Dirty Gentleman
http://cantstanzya.wordpress.com/
After visiting other countries, I have to say toilets here are pretty clean in comparison. I wouldn't eat in there, but I have no problem doin my bizness. There are exceptions of course.
In China, as long as I didn't touch anything surface I was fine, but the smell. Oh the smell... I suppose with that many people there it's bound to stink up, and stay.
In Japan, I only found western style toilets, and I don't recall having a turd staring back at me. However, my friend in Japan told me plenty of horror stories.
Student & Authorized Chicken Slapper
http://www.otakuinternational.com
I would think Public toilets everywhere tend to be disgusting, its just how it is. You let random people use as they please, and its bound to happen.
Man I have seen some disgusting stuff in public toilets....
teach how to be a gangsta, thug, or hoodrat
especially Taco Bell's restrooms
hahaahahahhha
filmaker
http://bigstick-freshturd-hotday.blogspot.com/
how's this 4 a publc toilet
http://bigstick-freshturd-hotday.blogspot.com/2008/08/do-it-at-homept2.html
now thats a really bad aim
Underdog Artist, Outcast to the Society, Tetsuya Nomura art fan
that reminds me of my country's public toilet....ugh....nasty.....I just ate ice cream....=______=
http://www.marvinryan.com
Did a post on Japan Toilet once. (shameless plug) lol
http://www.marvinryan.com/blog/2007/11/11/tokyo-toilets/
check out the last image where it shows which cubicle(s) are available.
also my wife tells me that the women's toilet makes a water rushing sound to hind the fact that one is taking a pee.
http://www.marvinryan.com
...hide the fact that one is taking a pee. ^^;
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
http://puppy52art.com/
When I visited Japan I guess I have seen a variety of cleanliness in the public toilets, from the very good -- where most are at least clean and not smell like pee poo or vomit, to one without toilet paper hole on the floor type -- I had no choice cos I was having a tummy ache from too much raw fish :P (thank goodness I saved the tissue paper people handed out at the train stations!).
Meanwhile in Singapore public toilets are generally alright, but can be very dirty at the older shopping malls. I recall having walked into a cubicle with diarrhea on the side of the seat and a thong with some of the brown you know what on it =_=... Toilets at the MRT stations are the usually stinkiest :P (think stale pee)
In Canada, I think one of the thing I am least used to is that the gap between toilet door and the cubicle separation seems quite big =_= (so you can almost see whoever's doing their business inside =_=) toilet cleanliness has been alright where I have gone to most of the time, but I feel like there's not enough toilets around or have to walk a long way to find one -- bad news if U got the runs ^^; (or the signages are too small :P)
http://www.marvinryan.com
lol. the large gap was the first thing I noticed when I first got there too, it's pretty much the same in the rest of north America. at first I thought it was because people there were taller. turns out it's more for security reasons.
Student
http://anime.tedfox.com/
oh gawd i just felt my lunch come up for a second there.
The Sword of Magus
http://daichouginga.blogspot.com/
Large gap is shocking for me for the first time because I'm used in resting my arms and head at the door(wth am I saying? xD).
IT techie
I seem to have been able to avoid the worst of Japanese public toilets during my visits. The old trick of using the need for a toilet as an excuse for a visit to Mr Donut or other shop & to use theirs. :)
I try to do all my business at home. That's why I spend a considerable amount of time on the throne every morning.
Student
http://anime.tedfox.com/
LOL
The Sword of Magus
http://daichouginga.blogspot.com/
True true. *nods*
Student artist
http://www.requestview.wordpress.com
I never use a public toilet. I usually hold it if it is #2, but I mostly use the restaurant's restroom, 711, and etc
Mechanical Engineering student
http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/
LOL those signs are useless here in my country. Despite the many warning signs posted almost every wall, people will STILL pee on them.
Well I understand why people choose to do their business on walls and other places. It's because the public toilets here are extremely dirty! The water in the toilet bowl is so brown you wonder if how many days have passed since someone flushed it. The bowl itself is dirty too. Maintenance crews step on it to fix the light bulbs on the ceiling. Also, they don't provide toilet paper. Some public toilets have vending machines where you can buy tissue but most public toilets don't so it's essential to bring your own toilet paper whenever you go out. It's a good thing I do my business at home x_x
http://www.marvinryan.com
Oh want to share an experience I had with public toilet in a train in China. like Japan, China's toilets are hole-in-the-floor-styled ones. unfortunately underneath the floor of a train are the tracks. so one can see the tracks rushing underneath while taking a dump. crap goes straight to the tracks below, there's always an unpleasant draft up your bum, and if you're not careful and fall off, you'll be leaving more than just poo on the tracks below. ^^
http://www.marvinryan.com
Oh some more experence, public toilets in Harrold's in London. you can't use them unless you've already bought something at the shops. I had to buy some chocolates just to get in.
in an Airport lounge in Germany, toilet seat cleans, disinfect and wrap themselves in plastic after each flush. ^^
in Tibet, Potala Palace, they also use hole in the ground type toilets, but since it was high up one would feel strong winds going up the hole. but is pretty much the place to put a piece of poo on top of the world. ^^
Pirate
The best public bathroom I have had the (dis?)pleasure of using was in high end shopping mall in HK - I think the stalls were cleaned after each use by an attendant. Hate to have his job, but it was very nice. >_>
Worst public bathroom experience I have had was at Huntington Beach during Independence Day. The line was insanely long the entire day... I went towards the end of the day... you can imagine... it was very traumatizing.
流浪人
I've made the mistake of reading everyone's comments...I think I'm going to be sick, now... >.<
College Student
http://nategreene.wordpress.com/
I'm gonna be sick with you.
university film student | ecchikid | the Archivist
http://www.vimeo.com/longhim
Why are people posting links to pictures? ><
Hikikomori in the making
http://supermariabros.deviantart.com/
Toilets here are QUITE clean, sometimes...
http://yuuwaku.wordpress.com
I waste a lot of paper when wiping up sometimes lol. I didn't see the chirigami thing though. Overall toilets were pretty clean. Obviously my hotel toilet was clean. Toilets on Mt. Fuji were quite clean (5th base and 8th stations, surprisingly). Only dirty toilets were the ones in a subway station...that one sure was smelly...
University Student
http://plurk.com/Fuyumachi/invite
I was in Japan last year, and didn't go to many public toilets.
Only to the toilets in the shrine(which itself can't be called public toilets lol), which i found pretty clean :3
As in my country, public toilet's pretty bad.. Smell of smoke even though there's NO SMOKING sign, etc >_<
Hate those smells!
Producer
The lavatories in Gas Panic in Roppongi used to be dreadful, just swimming in urine. Too much drinking going on.
Conversely, the lavatories at places like Narita Airport are so clean, I've been in there doing a wee and a cleaning lady has come in before I've even finished.
A good tip for visiting Japan is to carry a small packet of toilet paper, and a handkerchief to dry your hands. Lots of Japanese lavatories have paper and hand driers now. Go to a department store or hotel.
working to pay for figures etc.
http://spacejunq.deviantart.com/
I agree, public toilets in Japan are the side entrance to Hell and should be avoided... I also agree the toilets to aim for (if that's the right word) are those in big depaato, which are usually suitable for humans!
Bounty Hunter
http://firetiger59.deviantart.com/
Personally, I wouldn't even take food into public restrooms unless it's in a bag; or sealed in some manner. Maybe its just me, but I have a problem with food being in the same room as fecal-matter.
It all depends on where you are, in all honesty; whether they're be the public rest rooms at a fine restaurant, or at the mall. Are the restrooms in most of the public bathrooms clean? No. Most of the time no. Toilet paper clogging the toilet, they missed the target, puddles on the floor, etc.
(Thats here in, Miami)
Student and full-time otaku
Guess over here it's in-between; although I haven't had to try them often. I know German ones are exceptionally clean, while in France it can be quite bad
Mine Layer
Public toilets in the UAE are clean.
Student
http://anime.tedfox.com/
toilet bowls ftw!
but honestly, i try to hold it in as much as i can. I am a kinda semi obsessive compulsive guy, so public toilets are my bane. That said, when nature calls, you just have to go...
Student
http://www.webleveling.com
That why you gotta learn to use the toilet paper provided to pad the seat before sitting on it. Cleanest way to use public toilets :P
Student
http://kankeishorui.wordpress.com
If I tend to use public toilets, the best place for me is to find a mall or some fastfood chains out here. They keep it clean, a good advice.
System Administrator and full-time Otaku
I think it's universal. In Japan, I usually try to go to a public toilet at a train station (the JR ones are pretty good nowadays) or at a MacD's when I have to. They're usually the best.
When I came down with gastro in February (while out and about), I had to stop every two stations on the Sobu and Keihin-Tohoku Lines on my way back to the hotel, and most toilets were in immaculate condition, WITH paper provided.
http://nopybot.com
There aren't any public toilets here. I think some people just pee in the stairways leading down to the underground train stations because they always smell like piss.
IT, Programmer, Otaku, ...
http://blog.jpopdb.org/
I only went three times to a public toilet in japan. One Japanese style-toilet because there was no other option and I really had to go urgently. It was okay though, but freaking strange feeling doing your thing in that position ;p There was toilet paper though, I think. I think it was in Asakusa station somewhere. The other two times were in a Western style toilet (one in Ueno Station) and it was also okay and there was toilet paper as well.
But just in case, I always have some packs of paper tissue with me. And haven't been assaulted (yet) by smell in Japanese public toilets.
full time student, 60% of the time.
http://www.games.dcu.ie
I never use public toilets unless I really have to! Was out last night and the pub I was at all 3 toilets stalls were out of order so there was a big line going into the mens toilets... and it got quite messy in there :/
Culinary student, Vampire
for artsake i'll piss everywhere hehe
Journalist
the japanes toilets are the cleanest of the world! I've never seen in my life clean toilet like in japan! Wherevber i go in japan i can pee and poo everywhere! That's fantastic! In Italy it's very difficult to find a clean toilet, everywehere u find pee where u have to sit or floor dirty, or no paper.... today i poo in a toilet around...was dirty
Polytechnic Junior, Bronze Lifesaving Trainee, Mech Designer In-training.
http://thehangerbay.wordpress.com/
God, Danny, you shold visit Singapore's toilets once in a while. They're as clean as can be in places like shopping malls, but enter one of the older districts... woo hoo. XP
Pre-U Student
http://wakuwakusuru.zeroclipse.net
My country has the "cleanest" public toilets around but this might be an exception. http://www.hot-screensaver.com/2006/12/28/rm400k-automatic-toilet-in-bukit-bintang/
Toilets in some of the shopping malls are kinda clean though.
Dog of the Country
i guess Singapore toilets varies from places to places. At our common kopitiam (coffee shop), it smells quite bad. The fact that it's a common place you go to after you meal means that you might get the zomg feeling..
Other toilets in shopping malls are somewhat ok, except the usual "Poo mix with Cigarette" smell. T_T or even worse, the "3-in-1" smell.. T_T Instant death. But one thing for sure is, vandalism like "Free Sex, call 9xxxxxxx" or "I'm a China B****, and I'm offering free sex. Pls call 9xxxxxxx to have your big *ahem* and *ahem* *ahem* by me."...
おたくと大学生。
http://jp.youtube.com/user/acw2097
Public toilets everywhere that I have seen are bad. I don't think anyone can win. Not unless maybe they just built it or something.
銀河帝国五〇一軍团 TK/TD 8316 M.E.P.D. Police Sergeant
http://gordonator.com/
do u all know that the World Toilet Organization existed? (the founder is a Singaporean) and that 19th Nov is World Toilet Day? ('~')
http://www.worldtoilet.org/index.asp
I'm a Code Monkey
America is lacking public toilets. needs a little effort to find one when you need it. but when you do find one, they are *usually* kept pretty well cleaned. (key word is usually)
engineer
http://maxre.deviantart.com
Danny said "the previous person missed and left their goods on the floor" hehehehehehe
High School student
some japanese restrooms i been to were pretty smelly, while others were so clean you could eat off the ground, i think its just the location. Nicest one i have been to was with one of those really cool high tech toilets and automatic sink where you put your hand to one side for water and it auto comes out and auto comes out soap if you move it more left. I see a lot of japanese restrooms now include the cool hand dryer where you stick your hands through and air rushes through from the sides instead from just the top.
Civil Servant
http://kyokohunter.net/
I can't remember actually needing the toilet that much when I was in Tokyo - lucky as I was staying in Shinjuku, where Danny reckoned the worst offenders were. I used one of the toilets in the 'Subnade' once (which seemed okay) and the toilet in 'The English Pub' many times (which seemed tiny but okay, probably helped by copious amounts of alcohol) and apart from the room in my hotel, that was it. Of course, I remembered to carry my handkerchief and NOT blow my nose into it (as you do over here) but to save it for drying my hands ^^
Student
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmyk88
It's pretty gross over here. Usually I have to wipe the seat before I do my business. I really don't understand how some women can just leave their own mess on the seat! I always clean up after myself!
m
I found the men's public toilets to be much cleaner in Japan than America. My wife found the women's public toilets much worse than america.
HS Student
nice parallelism!! (>.<)b [even if it wasn't sarcasm-intended]
Internet Application Developer
http://www.swag247.com
The Casinos On the Las Vegas Strip have the most awesome bathrooms!!!
browsing the nets
http://otakuposts.blogspot.com/
public toilets in my country could be smelt from a mile away =_= And of course men pee anywhere they want.
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
http://xspblog.com
On the 22 days I've been in Japan, only once I got a very very dirty toilet.
I think it was some sort of big sunday fair that had TONS of foreigners... I think there were more foreigners than japanese.
And it was exactly what Danny said. Someone missed the spot on a traditional japanese toilet.
And missed by far I must say.
But that was the only time... and it was quite possible that a foreigner who didn't know how to use the toilet did that.
In Brazil, like I said on the topic about girls cleaning boy's restroom toilets, things are far worse.
Unless it's on a fancy shopping mall, and even so.
The most comon thing is to find toilets completely covered in piss, and the floor under it too.
But I already found stuff far worse than that... like toilets that had shit on the walls, on the floor, inside waste baskets... I'll stop here before someone pukes.
But yeah, it's disgusting. Of course there are exceptions, but overall, that's the way things are here.
Stuff like that makes me furious sometimes. Specially when you hear brazilians complaining about stuff on other countries, when things here are this way.
HS Student
pretty clean here. worst bathroom ever been to was with the invention of the portable porta-potty... whoever invented it was either a super genius or a cruel sadist. honestly, why would someone create a box that keeps the crap and all its "wonderful" perfumes in a tightly enclosed space. Its a claustrophobic nightmare!
-oh yea, i also consider the toilet to be a sacred place seeming how i think a lot while sitting on it for most of the time. it kinda makes me feel like the guy in the sculpture "the thinker" whereas i am the guy and the rock is replaced with a toilet. it makes me wonder many things and also "relieves" me stress
-finally, no toilet paper? so wrong...and evil! selling it is just as awful. another related reference: [Gintama] where Gintoki, Kondo, the Kyubei headmaster and some other guy sits on toilet without anything to wipe their butts with. eh..i'll stop with the anime/manga references from now on.
Speedgrapher
http://www.autoshowevents.com
I still remember my first time in Japan and needing to go... at a mall. Oh man. I went in the bathroom, and opened the stall - and OMG! Where the hell is the toilet! It's a hole and shit's all over the floor. actual shit! Forget this. I just held it until I got to my buds place.
That's where I saw the most advanced toilet in the world courtesy of Toto.
student, vexillologist
http://twitter.com/zscout370
Most of them that I went to were pretty clean, including the JR stations.
Graphic Design student | Receptionist | Otaku
http://sukidesho.blogspot.com/
It really depends which area you are in but, fo rthe most part.. public toilets over here is badly kept. Sometimes human error or things like graffiti... the worst has to be things like used sanitary towels and condoms -___-;;
Disgusting.
it really depends on where you go to the toilet here. i don't really use the public toilet that much. if i do, i go for those that require the patrons to pay. i don't mind shelling out a teeny weeny amount as long as i am not stressed out with the smell and other people's unpleasant leftovers. in thailand most of the toilents i've been to there are the hole-in-the-ground type. so far, most of those i've went to are pretty clean. XD
Web Developer (i.e. Otaku)
http://www.brettb.com/TravelLog.Tokyo.asp
I didn't find the public toilets in Japan too bad - they were certainly better than in the UK.
Toilet cubicles being too small was a more common problem - it seemed the larger the electric toilet was installed, the smaller the cubicle.
Student
In my region, the public toilets are a lot cleaner than they used to be. But, like everywhere else, some of them can be very disgusting:(
College Student
Mm.. the dirtiest public toilet with running water I went to was outside a textiles and plastics vendor exhibition area in a backwater part of Zhejiang province. Every surface was concrete so you can imagine the years of filth and despair that seeped into the building itself. Worst private toilet I visited was a cesspit with two boards you could stand over. This was in rural Guangxi. In hindsight, it would have been easier to go on the side of the road, but there's not much privacy when surrounded by rice paddies.
Ha!
Do not remember any nice public toilets in Japan for the 8 times I was there......
Lurker, and part time super-villian.
http://burfordus.wordpress.com
I just wait until i'm home or at a friends. The toilets in England (namely devon) are pretty horrific, even by my standards!
Never been to Japan... yet...
Grocery Store Clerk
I am sick jsut reading about this.
Tech Freak
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=191670173
The public toilets here in Vegas depend on the place you're in. If you go to a top-notch, five star Hotel or casino, then the public restrooms will be spotless and smell like fresh pine (unless some smoker decided it'd be nice to have a cigarette while letting it rip). If you're in some public park, mall, or public school... then you might as well hold it... -_-
IT-Technician, sole proprietor
http://www.chrizu.se/blog
Hmm I didn't go to public toilets very often, Might be because when I'm going around touristing or whatever I kinda don't notice that I need to go to the bathroom and ends up holding it in untill I get back to the hotel or whereever I'm staying. But they were okay the ones I went to. Quite similar too the ones here in Sweden.
Programming Student, Asian Girls Lover, Otaku
http://jappydolls.net/
Wow I always thought that all public toilets in japan were clean, I mean because people maintain them clean because a cultural fact, in my country, the name of which I have no desire to call to
mind, public toilets are the hell on earth.
Graphic Design student/Pest-ridden Jackal of the Earth
http://kriegtherion.deveiantart.com
hmm...had my fair share of experience with these ones. i was hanging out in our local skatepark one time, and when i went to launch my missiles, i saw a big tree branch stuck on the toilet...with poo and piss on the floor. twas a very horrible sight
Mercenary Mechpilot, mangaka wannabee, and an ocasional tank operator.
http://psicommando.deviantart.com/
Happens in Serbia all the time. Hole-in-the-floor toilets are more than common here, too. In most of Serbian public toilets, not only that there's no towels to wipe your hands, there's no running water, since the plumbing's broken. If you encounter toilet paper in a public toilet, consider yourself ultra-giga-sega-mega-uber lucky.
If your in a mall, might as well hold it in unless you're gonna poop yourself, always check for toilet paper before you go. Never been to Japan though.