Society Squat toilets still in demand in Japan

[thomas]

While traditional Japanese squat toilets (和式 washiki) have largely disappeared from newly constructed homes, they can still be found in schools and train stations, occasionally perplexing children unfamiliar with them. With Japan's population ageing, the demand for Western-style seated toilets continues to grow, prompting transportation companies and other facilities to replace older Japanese-style fixtures swiftly.

Japan's education ministry has also been supporting schools' transition to Western-style toilets through funds for school grounds maintenance. In a 2016 survey, 57% of toilets in public elementary and junior high schools were Japanese-style, but by 2023 this ratio had declined to 32%. However, there are discrepancies between prefectures, with Japanese-style toilets accounting for around half the total in places such as Shimane and Yamaguchi prefectures as of 2023. Some schools have also reportedly conveyed their wish to retain the traditional flushers so that children know how to use them.

In recent years, transportation companies have also been going Western. Of the 571 stations where Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) operates, some 40% have Japanese-style loos. While cost-saving measures are being advanced amid a decline in local ridership, the company decided to update its latrines. According to a representative, until around 10 years ago, there had been passengers who commented they didn't want to touch the seat of a public toilet, so it left them in place. However, such feedback has not been heard recently, and in contrast, there is also sometimes a backlog of people waiting to use the seated facilities as many avoid squat ones.

'Those still exist'? Squat toilets declining in Japan, but demand remains - The Mainichi

FUKUOKA -- They may have all but disappeared from newly built homes, but traditional Japanese squat toilets are still found in places such as schools

mainichi.jp

Toto (TOTO株式会社), Japan's largest toilet manufacturer and a multinational player, still produces and sells washiki (see Rakuten ad).

However, TOTO also offers a "washiki conversion service."

和洋リモデル工法

和洋リモデル工法は、オフィスビル、学校、病院などの和風トイレを1フロア・2日間の施工で洋風トイレにリモデルする信頼のTOTOオリジナル工法です。

jp.toto.com

More on Japan's toilet culture:

出荷率わずか0.3％以下…メリットほぼゼロの“和式トイレ”はこのまま絶滅するのか？ TOTOに聞く

ニュース｜　清潔で高機能であるとして、世界的にも評価の高い日本のトイレ。しかしかつては日本でもトイレ＝「汚い・臭い・暗い」という3Kのイメージが付きまとっていた。その一端を担っていたのが、今も一部の駅や公共施設、そして学校などに残る和式トイレだ。住宅設備機器メーカーのTOTOにも現在もごくわずかながら和式トイレのオーダーがあるとのことだが、TOTO広報は「和式トイレのメリットはほとんどありません」と話す。和式トイレはこのまま絶滅してしまうのか？　■1977年には洋式と和式の出荷数が逆転　2015年にはJIS規格から除外も…

www.oricon.co.jp

 

[Grandpa Frank]

The first time I tried one , I found out my leg muscles were not built for it , LOL. I thought for sure I would drop a "log" into my pants or fall back in.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I actually prefer the washiki toilets to Western ones. The seats of Western ones are often too high off the floor for my liking. Washiki toilets are in a lot of places in China, too. I don't know what they call them, sadly.

ETA: At home, we use these with our toilets. TMI, I'm sure.

 

[salyavin]

As your body is not coming in contact with the seat I can see how it would be cleaner as well.