A Simple Guide to Using the Public Bathrooms in Japan

(source: https://famous-popular.tokyo/travel/trip/japan/1140/)

Toilets in Japan are sometimes so complex with many different functions that things can get real confusing, real fast. This is especially true if you aren't fluent in Japanese. There are these traditional types where you just squat, which I think is pretty self-explanatory (and if I were you, I'd just skip these ones and find a "yō-shiki" (Western-style) toilet), but most bathrooms in Japan are super high-tech and advanced, which makes it all the more confusing.

A lot of the time, toilets come with a bidet with many different buttons. Some have English translations underneath, but most places (especially outside of Tokyo) wouldn't be as accommodating to foreigners.

So here is a little digest on how to use the public bathrooms in Japan. Make sure to take note since there are really only a couple of things to remember. And this way, you don't have to stress out every time you do your business in Japan!

(1) If something goes wrong, press the 止 button!

(source: http://www.toireshindan.com/2014/07/post-6476.html)

止 means to "stop" in Japanese. So if you accidentally (or not?) press a random button and water starts squirting onto your buttock, don’t panic. Press this 止 button to make it all stop.

(2) 大 and 小 buttons

(source: https://eigo-study.blogspot.com/2017/07/blog-post.html)

大 = big and 小 = small in Japanese. These buttons are used when flushing down the toilet – press the 大 button if you want more water; 小 for a smaller amount (saves energy and water).

(3) The 流す button

(source: http://matomerukari.livedoor.biz/archives/3997644.html)

流す means to "flush". If you can’t find the 大 or 小 buttons, you will most likely find this button/function instead. Press the button or hover your hand near the sensor to flush down the toilet.

(4) The ビデ button

(source: https://kumamiiro.com/kurashi_20180812/)

ビデ button will start the bidet function. The bidet function does a thorough job of "cleaning", and some people even prefer it over toilet papers. I have personally never tried this out in a public bathroom, but I know several people that do.

(5) The 音 or 音姫 button

(source: https://twitter.com/hyodo1313/status/903854936009539585)

音 in Japanese means "sound". Upon pressing this button, you get a 20-30 seconds of flushing sound while you do your deed.

I recommend you not to press anything else because it just gets so much more complicated, and most people in Japan don’t even know how the system actually works. Try to remember the 止 (stop) and 流す (flush) buttons at the very least, however, even if you forgot everything else you just read.

One last tip: try to keep these bathrooms clean. Japanese people are very nit-picky about toilet manners. Follow basic etiquettes — no throwing objects into the toilet other than toilet paper; no squatting on the toilet; and always flush after. You might think these are all basic stuff that need not be reminded, but it's surprising how many people don't know the "appropriate" usage of a bathroom.

But, alas, here is the list. I hope this helped a bit!