With the growing number of tourists flocking to Japan, sanitation issues have become more pronounced than ever. Going to the toilet in foreign countries can be a challenge, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make life a little easier for future travelers. Here are some of the most important advances in Japanese toilets over the last few years:
Dual-flush toilets
Dual-flush toilets are now common in urban areas, and are being installed in rural areas as well. They generally have two buttons: a long flush for waste that’s harder to handle (for example, human waste), and a small flush for things that can be handled with ease (for example, paper towels). The large flush can handle a large volume of liquid waste and is recommended for daily use. The small flush is for the less frequent use. Dual-flush toilets are designed to reduce the volume of waste that needs to be disposed of. Instead of piling up the waste into a container and manually transporting it to a transfer station, the waste is flushed directly into a sewer.
Dual-flush toilets go beyond reducing waste volume and also save water. When wastewater is flushed into the sewer, it’s concentrated in the wastewater flow, so more water is needed to flush the waste away. This is called “wastewater use,” and less water is available for agriculture and other uses (“water use”). Dual-flush toilets reduce water use by flushing less concentrated wastewater, so they reduce both wastewater use and water use. Dual-flush toilets are expensive, but they’re a good investment in the long term.
They reduce the need to expand wastewater treatment plants, and they reduce the need for electricity to run sewage treatment plants. In the long run, this will save water resources, reduce energy use, and reduce costs for both the government and the individual.
Pressure-assisted toilets
Before pressure-assisted toilets (or PATTs) were invented, toilets with a tank that you filled with water from a faucet were the norm. PATTs have the same water tank as a standard toilet, but instead of using a chain or a handle to flush the toilet with a lever, a pressure hose sends water into the tank.
This means that people with weak hands can also use PATTs. There are two types of PATTs. A pulsating PATT sends water into the tank in short spurts at low pressure, while a continuous flow PATT sends a constant flow of water into the tank at a pressure of around 90 psi. PATTs are an important advancement in terms of easing the physical challenges associated with going to the toilet.
![See-through public toilets debut in Japan](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fIqQYRvNmPY/maxresdefault.jpg)
Self-cleaning Toilets
A number of Japanese toilets now have sensors that detect the amount of human waste and urine and then clean the toilet automatically. Self-cleaning toilets are becoming common in public buildings, restaurants, and other places where people need to use the toilet frequently. These sensors use electricity or a chemical reaction to remove waste from the toilet bowl. There are several types of self-cleaning toilets. Some sensors work like a bidet, spraying water onto the toilet bowl.
Other sensors offer a type of “washlet” toilet, which uses a washbasin that cleans and rinses the toilet bowl. Self-cleaning toilets are convenient, but they require a lot more electricity than conventional toilets. This is because they need to be powered by an inverter or a sensor that monitors electricity. This means that they’re not practical for public places that need to conserve energy.
Virtual reality toilet training and apps
Japanese public toilets used to be pretty scary places. If you didn’t know where to go, you could easily get lost. Fortunately, there are now virtual reality toilet training and apps that help people navigate around public toilets. In general, these apps provide instructions on how to use a toilet, and also provide step-by-step instructions on how to find your way around public restrooms. These apps can be really helpful for people with cognitive or mobility disabilities. Virtual reality toilet training and apps can also be used by adults. Some apps allow people to view a 360-degree video of the inside of a public toilet, while others allow users to view a 360-degree view of the outside of a public toilet. With virtual reality toilet training and apps, people can practice navigating through public restrooms, and can also get familiar with the layout of public restrooms in their city or town.
Future developments
Apart from improving the sanitation of public restrooms, the Japanese government is also focusing on the development of VR technology. In 2008, a VR toilet was developed, and now there is a VR toilet training and app that allows the viewer to experience a simulated trip to the toilet. The VR technology is also being used in a number of public places, including museums, libraries, hospitals, and train stations. Future developments in the field of public toilets may include an automatic toilet dispenser for cleaning, artificial intelligence-powered toilet-finding technology, and AI-powered toilet training and navigation systems.
Bottom line
Public toilets can be challenging for non-Japanese-speaking visitors, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make life a little easier for future travelers. Dual-flush toilets reduce the volume of waste that needs to be disposed of, self-cleaning toilets reduce the amount of water needed to flush waste, and virtual reality toilets provide step-by-step instructions on how to find your way around public restrooms. With these advancements, public toilets are easier to use, and easier to navigate. These advancements will make going to the toilet a lot more comfortable for future travelers.