For the Love of Tokyo
CBMUSED at 8:29 am Category: TravelTags: 191, Akihabara, Asakusa, Calpis, cbmused, Engrish, japan, Meiji Shrine, Odaiba, Pocari Sweat, Shibuya, spirituality, toilets, tokyo, Venus Forte
It’s not often that the sight of a toilet stirs a bout of nostalgia and a mix of emotions that bring a joyful tear to the eye. But spotting this beauty in a local showroom took my breath away, for the stirring of that cauldron of sentiments took place not that long ago.
Yes, I’m using poetic prose to talk about… toilets.
The first time I encountered such a contraption was during my trip to Japan. Checking into the hotel was delayed due to early arrival, but when nature called and I was ushered into the facilities and closed the cubicle door behind me, I simply laughed my head off.
Faced with a whiz-bang gadget and what looked like a remote control that would make any man deliriously happy, I pressed every button. from the meticulously timed sound effects of running water, to the strong deodoriser designed to mask any odour, and finally to the warm jets of water that strategically wash certain parts of the anatomy, with one specifically angled for the ladies.
Ranging from the traditional the hole in ground found in remote areas and Narita airport, to those at Roppongi Hill equipped with sensors that flush oh-so-quietly and could easily lull you into sedation, Tokyo toilets became a source of amusement and entertainment as I flashed my camera inside every cubicle. Hence the sight of this porcelain device on the weekend made me long for another trip to the land of contrasts.
But Japan was not all about gadgetry, bullet trains with uniformed attendants that bow incessantly to the carriage, flirty maid cafés in the centre of geek heaven in Akihabara, love hotels selling a sex haven by the hour or overnight, vending machines that sell a girl’s sweat bottled in a soft drink under the label Pocari Sweat or a milky beverage strangely named Calpis. Nor was it about outrageous display of individuality at Harajuku on Sundays, mind-blowing shopping at Shibuya’s 191 and Venus Forte at the futuristic Odaiba, or Engrish signs that redefined one’s logic. True, I was blown away and touched by the welcoming yet unobtrusive warmth of its people. But the Japan experience, as I best describe it, awakened a new spirituality and serenity within, fluttering about my being in Zen-like moments at the Meiji Shrine.
And for that kind of experience, I am thankful.
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March 4th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Serenity and a warm jet of water aimed at a bodily orifice. Two of the most wonderful things in life.
March 4th, 2008 at 10:02 am
If they ever invent an automatic seat-putter-downer, that will be a milestone in the War of the Sexes.
Unless women interpret that the same as hiring a maid versus cleaning yourself, and it’s “not as good as when you really put the seat down itself.”
We have those automatic laser beam flushers and a timed air freshener releaser thingie–but clearly we are behind the curve in this development.
I assume the sound of running water is to help you whizz.
Sigh–I don’t know what we could possibly do to duplicate that here, Well, maybe turn on a faucet…
I can’t quite wrap my brain around the soft drink with a woman’s sweat added–how do you know it was a hot chick’s sweat? I mean, how do you know that they didn’t hire Bea Arthur to sweat, or something?
March 4th, 2008 at 10:09 am
What’s with this “Top Martini Lovers”? >
Blogging should be done for the joy of blogging, and it shouldn’t matter who “wins”–
In other words, blogging should be like SOCCER–no accountability, low scoring, overreaction when something is actually accomplished, etc.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Gorilla B: when you put it so eloquently, who can argue with that
Zen: I’d be happy with a seat that put itself down, doesn’t worry me who or what electronic device does it.
Yes, we have those, and I’ve come across them in Europe as well but I visited Japan, they were just something you’d read about. As for the sound of running water, it was explained to me that it was developed mainly for women who felt embarrassed using public toilets and had taken to running taps to mask the sound effects. It was amazing that they had timed the duration of the sound to perfection.
Pocari sounds like a girl’s name, doesn’t it? It’s an energy drink, the bit about being bottled sweat is my take on it, tongue in cheek, or sweat in a bottle…
Zen: Ah, you mean “March’s Top 5 Martini Lovers”. It’s a widget that lists the top commenters, with links to their blogs if they filled it in, and I’ve got it configured to list the top 5 per month.
Yes to all that, but is that a hint to declare a winner, give out a monthly prize, soccer-related?
March 4th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
vending machines that sell a girl’s sweat bottled in a soft drink
… not to mention the nicely packaged Schoolgirl panties!
I heard that the bura-sera industry was largely responsible for Japan’s last major economic recovery. Can you imagine the marketing campaign?
Thankyou for Panties
Economy will prosper
Sweat is also good
March 4th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Gboy: I looked for those! Not to buy, but to photograph. Like all fads, they were short-lived.
Love it!!
March 4th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Sweet Japan, how I love and miss you so.
To the toilets come the food before, to which I say is worth staying in Japan for at least a year to sample every food from season to season. To pray at the shrines in New Years day for good luck. To visit the midsummer festivals and play with fireworks. To sweat it out at an onsen (hot springs) with friends on a cold winter day. To play jumping jacks in an open kimono.
Okay, maybe not the last bit, but still…plenty of things to love about Japan.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I have a photo of the first ever toilet I came across in Japan……I have seen my fair share. Our toilet in the apartment is just standard but the ones at the in-laws are fancy ones that spout water and flush automatically!
Nothing better than those with warm seats in the middle of winter though!
March 5th, 2008 at 1:24 am
I am also fascinated by Japan… too bad it is expensive there!
March 5th, 2008 at 5:13 am
The old “Nostalgia at the site of a toilet”, eh? Awesome. As a bladesmith, I would love to see Seki!
March 5th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Japanese toilets… how wonderful!!
March 5th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I always learn so much when I come by here. I now resent my boring old American toilet.
March 5th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Kami: I loved Japan! And I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my stay. I didn’t do the monkeys in hot springs, or any public baths, so play jumping jacks in an open kimono is not an option. I’ll return one day during cherry blossom season, that’s on my priority list!
Lulu: yes! I forgot about the warm seats. My friend who lives there has one of those whiz-bang toilets but the buttons are all in Japanese (no pictures), and a tap that sits on top of the water cistern. Ingenious!
Sidney: I didn’t find it as expensive as certain parts of the world, but it’s not easy doing it on a low budget if you like your luxuries. As I do.
Jarod: hehe… poetry in toilets, who would have thunk it??
I’m sure you’d find that fascinating. I saw some impressive swords, and I was surprised that you could buy ninja stars in local markets.
Gledwood: they are… and once you use them, you’d want to take one home!
March 5th, 2008 at 10:00 am
GSR: As I resent mine. I love how travel teaches a lot more about life. Not that life is about toilets, if you get my drift…
March 5th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Automatic badets in the toilets would be a nice thing–I am totally convinced that some people don’t wipe.
And I know for a fact that some people DO wipe, and then don’t wash their hands.
So that would kill two birds with one stone.
How about an automatic ass gasket putter-onner?
That would be cool–the first ass gasket that I always put on always sinks into the bowl–and then holds the second ass gasket up.
Ass gaskets were an important invention–they think that the reason people get sick on cruise ships is because people from all over f*** are using the same toilets.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Oh, and I don’t want to lose my Commenter position to Grad School reject, so blah blah blah, yak yak yak, bullshit bullshit bullshit….
March 5th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Zen - It is not a competition.
March 5th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
But if it was…
March 5th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I’d be winning.
- p.s. - The secret is in the pictures. Check out and comment on the pictures - very worth your while/time.
March 5th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Zen: I remember reading something about that, not sure if it was one of those innovations in catalogues or something on teh interweb so weird that it must be true. I’ve also seen toilets with NO toilet paper but a water hose thingy hanging to the side…
And since we’re discussing toilets and bad habits, I’m assuming this would have a mechanical arm (the thought brings tears to the eyes…), how do they ensure that stays clean?
There is a school of thought (where am I getting these ideas today?!) that you touch cubicle doors, taps, soap dispensers etc with dirty hands anyway, so why bother washing hands? It should all be done by sensors, no touch…
Zen: GSR has a little competitive streak in him, so I’ll just take a back seat… but not on a toilet…
GSR: You are…
GSR: …such a…
GSR: … tease with your comments!
I saw your first comment and with such a deadpan delivery, I thought, hmm… then you strike!
Thank you for the kind word about the pictures. Though I might have to resort to posting some photos of hot chicks…
March 5th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Yes, completely forgot about Sakura viewing with friends along with lots of alcohol. Maybe we can go together. Something to toast to under a moment like that.
Priceless.
March 5th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Kami: that would be quite an experience, especially the drinking part. I hear it’s a lot of fun to participate in the drinking with the locals.
March 7th, 2008 at 11:56 am
[…] Beef After my reminiscent post, For the Love of Tokyo, I came across more Japanese oddities that made my heart flutter. These sexy school boys may be the […]
March 8th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I was in Brecia Italy a few years ago, was walking around a castle on a large hill and spotted what I thought was a bank machine. I walked over to fill my wallet, so I could empty it on local drink when I realized it was not a bank machine. This was a stand alone pay toilet. I could not help it so I gave it some money, a door swished open like on Star Trek and I was looking into a dripping wet stainless steel room. I stepped inside the door shut and I managed to muster a pee, I then stuck my hand into the recess above the sink for soap and water rinse. I then dried my hands with the air dryer, pushed another button and the door opened. What a sublime toilet experience!
March 9th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Josh W:P I love your story! When I was travelling around France, I’ve had to use one of those porcelain holes in ground toilets, not like the Japanese ones, but ones with a foot rest. When I flushed, I had to make a run for it, or I would have been soaked!