Skip to Main Content
You Need the Kind of Electronic Toilet That's Popular in Japan

You Need the Kind of Electronic Toilet That's Popular in Japan

Everyone poops. But not everyone poops the same.

In Japan, for example, taking care of business on a porcelain throne is an entirely novel experience. Imagine, if you will, the following scene:

You rush to the bathroom, filled with Chipotle and regret. Your toilet seat automatically rises as you approach. As you sit, your rear is met not with a White Walker-like icy grasp, but with a warm and welcoming toilet seat. A deodorizer spritzes the bowl, preparing to mask the scents to come. Having relieved yourself, you push a button on a console nearby. A bidet washes your behind, followed by a quick blow dry. You wash your hands at the sink as the toilet automatically flushes, and you return to your life feeling happier, cleaner, and noticeably lighter than before.

This luxurious bathroom experience is no fantasy. It’s a reality in Japan, thanks to the prevalence of high-tech electronic toilets. By comparison, American bathrooms feel like they haven’t advanced since the Stone Age.

In the video above, Lifehacker staff writer Nick Douglas visited the Tokyo showroom of TOTO, one of the largest electronic toilet manufacturers in Japan, to learn more about these amazing toilets, why they’re so popular, and what it will take for the West to catch up.

This story was originally published on April 23, 2019 and was updated on December 9, 2019.