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JAPANESE TAKE THEIR LOOS SERIOUSLY

 
 
Reply Sat 29 Nov, 2008 06:58 pm
when it comes to toilets , the japanese have us beat !
they have developed the simple construction of the lowly loo into the sphere of industrial art ... and convenience .
having seen some of the small japanese apartments (in documentaries) , i wonder if the modern loos leave any room for a kitchen , bed and livingroom ?
hbg

Quote:
The art of the toilet in Japan

Duncan Bartlett discovers how, when it comes to lavatories, Japan is a step ahead of the rest of the world.
No country takes toilets quite so seriously as Japan.

Machines with heated seats, built-in bidets and a dynamic range of flushing options are almost ubiquitous in homes and public buildings.

A poem recently published by a stressed-out salary man captured their comforting appeal with haiku-like brevity. "The only warmth is my life is the toilet seat," he mourned.

But lavatories here can do much more than keep you warm. One even sends a tiny electrical charge through the user's buttocks to check their body-fat ratio.

The master of the modern convenience is the Panasonic Corporation.

Booming market

At its Tokyo showroom, located in a skyscraper near the BBC's office, a group of smart young women, dressed in uniforms resembling flight attendants, showed me the company's latest wares.

The lids lifted up when I approached. If I stood in front of one, it took a guess at my gender and lifted up the seat as well.

There was a loo that glowed in the dark and another that had built-in loudspeakers.

With manicured fingernails, the demonstrator pushed the control panel beside the seat and gentle light classical music began to play.


i wonder if "gentle" will change to "loud" as required ?


for complete article and illustrations see :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7
750870.stm

panasonic's "high-tec" toilet

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45243000/jpg/_45243391_-14.jpg

canada's "low-tec" outhouse - no wiring required !

http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/display/9594d3da-9cbe-421d-a26b-296eba6efb84.jpg

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Type: Discussion • Score: 7 • Views: 1,698 • Replies: 8
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cicerone imposter
 
  1  
Reply Sat 29 Nov, 2008 08:22 pm
hbg, They had those fancy toilets at our hotel in Kyoto, so I used it. You can set the temperature of the water and the seat, and get yourself washed while sitting on the loo. Fancy, but they come at a very high cost.
hamburger
 
  1  
Reply Sat 29 Nov, 2008 09:37 pm
@cicerone imposter,
c.i. :

you are most welcome to try the canadian model anytime . the only warmth you may feel is from a grizzly standing behind you ...
take care .
hbg
cicerone imposter
 
  1  
Reply Sun 30 Nov, 2008 11:01 am
@hamburger,
Only if it's in your back yard. Wink
0 Replies
 
Reyn
 
  1  
Reply Sun 30 Nov, 2008 09:34 pm
@hamburger,
Ha! That outdoor toilet is a luxury compared to this one!


http://www.aad.gov.au/Asset/images/cms_lge_Trent_last_loo..jpg
"Darn, I forgot the toilet paper - again!"
cicerone imposter
 
  1  
Reply Sun 30 Nov, 2008 09:53 pm
@Reyn,
That's one way to freeze your ass on the toilet seat after someone pisses on it.

burrrr.....
0 Replies
 
Andy CWS
 
  1  
Reply Tue 2 Dec, 2008 04:16 pm
I lived for 13 years in Japan and they do have a very interesting collection of ways to rid oneself of waste. AMny modern homes still have the drop pit toilets that need to be pumped out occasionally. The septic tank has a stove pipe with a special vacuum venting system that keeps the stench from coming in the home, except for power outages.

I brought back six bidet-style toilets seats and were the best Xmas presents. What I really liked were the touilet tanks that also served as sinks for washing hands. When you flushed, the water filling the tank first sprayed into a basin on the tank and then drained into the tank for the next flush. Simple--Brilliant.

Some toilets even have white noise so that others outside the bathroom can't hear the tinckling.

Andy
mismi
 
  1  
Reply Tue 2 Dec, 2008 04:27 pm
@Andy CWS,
Now see...I like that - beats having to turn the water on - for those of us who care anyway.
ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Tue 2 Dec, 2008 04:32 pm
@mismi,
Here's an old thread about the Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo -
http://able2know.org/topic/110304-1, state of the art..
0 Replies
 
 

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