Do you know what a washlet is? It’s that strange device you often find attached to the toilet in Japan. You know, the one that shoots a cleansing spray of water at your anus after you take a dump!
I’ve been to America many times, but I’ve never found a toilet with a washlet there, much less had the chance to try one out. I have to wonder why people in other countries don’t use this handy device. I mean, if you use a washlet, you never have skid marks and you don’t have to rough up your anus with scratchy toilet paper!
In Japan, you can currently find washlets in the restrooms at stations, department stores, convenience stores, office buildings and any number of other places. The washlet culture has really taken root here. If you are worried about finding yourself in a toilet without a washlet, you can even buy your very own portable one.
So, if you should come to Japan on holiday someday, take a look around at your port of entry, see if you can find a washlet, and don’t be afraid to give it a try. It might feel strange at first, but once you get used to that comfortable sensation, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. Just like all my other American friends brave enough to take on the washlet…


Osaka convenience store asks customers to muffle their “buree-buree” sounds while in the toilet
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
Everything you think you know about your washlet toilet is wrong
China’s toilet tech showing considerable signs of improvement
$11,000 luxury Japanese toilet will probably give you the best poop experience of your life
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Play games, learn, and get your fortune at Ginza’s limited-time Tsunaguu “Shrine of the Future”
Cup Noodle tries an authentic Jiro-style ramen, but something’s not quite right
A visit to T-CAT, Tokyo’s often forgotten City Air Terminal【Photos】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Upskirt umbrellas are now a thing in Japan
Japanese department store rooftop is a secret oasis where you can escape the crowds in Tokyo
Visit the birthplace of the Japanese daruma in Gunma Prefecture
Chikura no Iwaya: Secret beach cave only appears for two hours a day, and here’s how to see it
Japan’s wildest Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony celebrates new adults in Kitakyushu 【Photos】
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Cyberpunk anime meets traditional culture in Ghost in the Shell gold leaf Japanese changing screens
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
Sumo Sanrio! Hello Kitty and pals team up with Japan Sumo Association for new merch【Pics】
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Toto to release next-gen Japanese toilet tech that scans and keeps track of your poop
Foreigner delights Japanese netizens with hilarious video about Japanese washlet toilets
Enjoy traditional views of Mt Fuji from your very own luxury toilet
Should you flush a Japanese toilet with your foot or your hand?
Turns out even Japanese people aren’t sure how to use Japanese-style toilets
America is “the land of the free,” but what does that mean? Japanese commenters weigh in
8 Japanese gadgets you wish you had in your country!
American comedian Jimy Kimmel was blown away by Japan’s bathrooms【Video】
Keep Your Phone’s Earphone Jack Clean with These “Glued to the Toilet” Plugs
10 things that surprise foreign women in Japan
Japanese doctor wins Ig Nobel Prize for learning we can kind of breathe in through our butts
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is selling his private jet because it’s old, gives a tour
Hom-Bot Square: Cleaning those hard to reach places
Too Lazy to Clean? Remote Control Mops and Trash Cans are Here to Help! 【Video】
Nagoya City Council debates: Is toilet paper really needed in public restrooms?
Leave a Reply