世論 What Japan Thinks

Japanese public toilets are something that almost every visitor to Japan will experience, so this survey from the toilet manufacturer Toto looked at foreigners and toilets to see what issues there were.

Demographics

During September and October of 2014 600 foreign residents of Japan aged 20 or older completed an internet-based survey; ten countries were represented; South Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, USA, France, UK, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. No further demographics were presented.

I’ve used a Japanese-style toilet for number twos exactly once, at a bowling alley when I had the runs, and in the process managed to get a rather large poo stain on my trousers, a fact I never realised until I got home that night. I’m very particular about toilets, so barring emergencies I use department store Western-style toilets almost exclusively, and I tend to select heated seats, but I never touch any of the bum-squirting stuff.

Research results

Q1: When you first came to Japan and used public toilets, which did you usually choose, Western style or Japanese style? (Sample size=600)

Western toilets (to SQ1)	69.5%
Usually Western (to SQ1)	13.8%
Usually Japanese	8.7%
Japanese toilets	5.5%
Was never in the position to choose	2.5%

Q1SQ1: Why did you choose Western toilets? (Sample size=501, multiple answer)

I come from a Western toilet country	60.5%
It didn’t put a strain on my back, legs	49.5%
Had a warm water heated toilet seat (to SQ2)	32.1%
Japanese toilet floor was dirty and unsanitary	22.6%
Japanese toilet floor was difficult to use, couldn’t une	16.6%
Felt reluctant to straddle a Japanese toilet	12.8%
Couldn’t assume, maintain the crouch position over a Japanese toilet	10.4%
Didn’t know how to use a Japanese toilet	8.8%
Other	1.4%
No answer	0.2%

Q1SQ2: Why do you choose warm water heated toilet seat toilets? (Sample size=288, multiple answer)

Can clean my bottom	63.2%
It gets me cleaner than with toilet paper	51.0%
My home country’s custom is to wash one’s bottom	39.6%
When constipated it stimulates bowel movements	11.5%
I have hemorrhoids	3.5%
Other	2.1%
No answer	0.3%

Q2: When you first came to Japan and used public toilets, what problems did you have? (Sample size=600, multiple answer)

Didn’t know how to use Japanese toilets	26.7%
Didn’t know what all the buttons did	25.7%
Didn’t know how to operate the toilet	18.5%
Toilet cubicles were too small	17.3%
The instructions, etc, were only in Japanese (to SQ)	15.7%
Didn’t know how to wash after doing the business	14.7%
The queues were too long so I couldn’t use them	13.5%
The toilet was too dirty to use	12.7%
There was no toilet paper	10.0%
Didn’t know you could flush the toilet paper	9.0%
Accidentally pressed the alarm button	8.8%
Didn’t know where to throw the toilet paper away	4.5%
Had a problem with unisex toilets	4.5%
The toilet was broken so I couldn’t use it	3.2%
Didn’t know how to use a Western toilet	2.3%
Didn’t know how to lock the door	1.5%
Didn’t know which was the men’s and which was the women’s toilet	1.5%
Other	3.8%
Didn’t have any problems	18.7%

Q2SQ: Why did you have a problem with the instructions, etc, being only in Japanese? (Sample size=95, multiple answer)

Didn’t know what all the buttons did	62.1%
Didn’t know how to operate the toilet	32.6%
Didn’t know how to wash after doing the business	31.6%
Didn’t know how to use Japanese toilets	25.3%
Didn’t know you could flush the toilet paper	22.1%
Accidentally pressed the alarm button	22.1%
Didn’t know where to throw the toilet paper away	7.4%
Didn’t know which was the men’s and which was the women’s toilet	6.3%
Didn’t know how to use a Western toilet	0.0%
Other	1.1%

Q3: How clean do you think Japanese public toilets are compared to your home country’s? (Sample size=600)

Much cleaner	60.3%
Cleaner	33.3%
About the same	4.3%
Dirtier	1.7%
Much dirtier	0.3%

Q4: When you first came to Japan, where did you experience a problem using public toilets? (Sample size=600, multiple answer)

Station	30.8%
Public park	28.5%
Temple, shrine	14.2%
Parking area	10.7%
Convenience store	9.8%
Restaurant, cafe	8.5%
Ryokan inn	7.3%
Airport	6.7%
Supermarket	6.0%
Department store	5.3%
Motorway service station	4.7%
Hotel	4.5%
Family restaurant	4.3%
Fast food restaurant	4.2%
Hospital	3.8%
Petrol station	3.0%
Theatre, cinema	3.0%
Hairdresser	2.8%
Other	5.5%
Nowhere	33.8%