American tourists are fascinated by Japanese toilets.

The American female traveler does not hesitate to enter public restrooms in Japan because she knows they are very clean.

Before arriving in Japan, Monica Humphries would have flinched and recoiled if she felt the plastic on the toilet seat was "warm," as that was a sign someone had just used it before her. However, toilets in Japan are heated thanks to modern devices installed in the restrooms. Therefore, the American traveler can comfortably use them without worry.

The bidet attached to the toilet also impresses her. Restrooms in luxury hotels to casual bars all have bidets. Monica wonders why such a useful item is not available everywhere in the world. The first thing she sought after arriving in Tokyo was not delicious restaurants or bus ticket information, but the price of this useful bidet. Monica wanted to buy one to install in her own bathroom because this is not common in the U.S.


A restroom in Japan, photo taken by Monica. Photo: Insider

In the luxury hotel restroom, Monica also saw various types of white noise machines (sounds consisting of many frequencies at the same intensity, helping to reduce stress, promote deep sleep, and improve concentration), air purifiers, and night lights.

Bill Strang, the director of corporate strategy and e-commerce of a Japanese company in the U.S., said that Japanese people prioritize bathing and cleanliness. Their restrooms reflect this.

In New York and Denver, USA, some public restrooms look very messy. Restrooms in bars and restaurants often have garbage on the floor, graffiti on the walls, and unpleasant odors. In Japan, at subway stations, Monica hardly ever sees filthy restrooms.


Monica enters a public restroom in Japan. Photo: Insider

Besides being used for “relieving oneself,” Japanese people have turned restrooms into places for relaxation. Monica noticed that many Japanese homes and apartments have at least two restrooms. The first room has a bidet and toilet, completely separate from the second restroom which is for bathing and equipped with a shower and bathtub. Even when living in small spaces, Japanese people still prioritize taking care of their bathrooms.

In Tokyo, Monica was delighted to find a bathtub with controls allowing her to set the exact temperature for the water. "I can set the time for the tub to fill with water as I wish," she said. And this is completely different. In America, Monica does not have a steam room like in Japan and has to manually adjust the faucet to alternate between hot and cold.

"So, I still think about the bathroom of this country months after the trip," Monica said.

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