It's a well-known fact that they have the cleanest and most advanced, high-tech toilet in Asia, or probably the whole world. It never fail to amaze me how creative they are when it comes to designing a simple thing, The Toilet (toire (トイレ) or toiretto (トイレット) in japanese). Features, such as blow dryer, seat heating, massage options, water jet adjustments, automatic lid opening, flushing after use are commonly found in Japanese toilets. The modern toilet in Japan, is commonly known as Washlet (ウォシュレット) or as warm-water cleaning toilet seat (温水洗浄便座: onsui senjō benza).
My first encounter with the washlet - I was baffled by the colorful array of buttons on the complicated keypad on the washlet (super-high-tech sit-down model with a control panel that looks like the cockpit of a plane). As u can see, on the left hand side, there's three electronic buttons and a dial control. One probably control the bidet, and another would be the spray (what spray?). After my...uh hmmm...business, i realised i didnt have a clue how to flush the toilet. I tried the first button - whoops, bidet! a little plastic thingy at the back of the bowl and began shooting a stream of warm water and getting my t-shirt and floor wet in the process...Geez~ Better to close the lid. Where's the flush button??? #!&*%$?# *tearing my hair out in frustration*
Two minutes later, I found an old-fashioned lever on the right hand side of the wall...duh~
and i ended up, on all fours, wiping the toilet floor dry with a thick wad of toilet paper.....sighz..
I don't know about you but i find this pretty interesting. In the woman's toilet, there's usually a device called an "Etiquette device" which is either attached to the wall of the toilet, or included in an existing washlet. The device is activated by pressing a button, or by the wave of a hand in front of a motion sensor. After activation, the device creates a loud flushing sound similar to a toilet being flushed. This sound either stops after a preset time or can be halted through a second press on the button. I mean, C'mon does it matter if your neighbour in the next cubicle hears u taking a dump or a pee? Apparently to the Japanese Women! In fact, before the introduction of the Etiquette device, Japanese women used to flush public toilets continuously while using them, wasting a large amount of water in the process. It was estimated that this waste up to 20 liters of water per use. (talk about water conservation!)
And believe it anot! Some of the toilets in the departmental stores even come with a MAP! (picture on the left). It lays out cubicles with squatters, washlet, baby change, baby chair (Yesh! they have baby chair in some cubicles - Very mother friendly!!)
I pray for the day when toilets in Singapore are up there with the Japanese!. A google search shows that a WTO website, http://www.worldtoilet.org/hp/wto_hp.htm, was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore on 30th June 2001. No, Not That WTO!!!! WORLD TOILET ORGANISATION (in case u're wondering, im not kidding here)
Singapore also launch a "Happy Toilet" campaign that rate public restrooms with a five-star system similar to the one used for hotels. A "Happy Toilet" is one that's rated three stars or more. Happy toilet? sounds abit corny to me...oh well...
So where could u find the cleanliest toilet in Singapore? Its a well-known joke - But Singaporeans always say the cleanliest toilet is probably your home toilet.. The public toilet?? Singaporeans just can't be bothered to keep it clean and dry cos they don't have to clean it up.
Kowtow to the aunties and uncles who clean it up for you after use..they are the one who make the happy toilet "Happy"...
The swedish word today is "toalett"
You guess it! It's toilet in Swedish
No comments:
Post a Comment