With slapstick, situational comedy and a clever use of language, the video is sure to make anyone laugh.
Washlets, as Japan calls its multi-functioning, high-tech, ultra luxurious comfort potties, have become one of Japan’s most popular inventions. They’re a bit confusing to figure out at first, but stay in Japan long enough, and you just might find yourself loving them enough to bring one home.
One foreigner made a video expressing that childlike wonder we all experience when we encounter our first washlet, and unsurprisingly it has blown up among Japanese netizens. Twitter user @mr_yabatan‘s specialty is comedy videos and celebrity impressions, but what makes this particular video so funny, at least to us as foreigners, is that it’s completely relatable in every way. He was surprised that the cover lifts up automatically when he opens the bathroom door, is confused by all of the buttons, and is shocked when he accidentally uses the bidet for the first time, just as we all have been.
https://twitter.com/mr_yabatan/status/973693981698662401Mr. Yabatan is a comedian from Norway, who, despite appearing to have lived in Japan for a long time, often plays a silly foreigner exploring Japan for the first time. He is usually portrayed as a gleeful, excited, but sometimes perplexed foreigner in his videos, and his trademark “I am really surprised!” is probably one of his funniest bits. His videos are in Japanese, but they’re subtitled in English, so all can enjoy.
▼ Just look at his sheer glee when the cover lifts up automatically in his washlet video!
Though Mr. Yabatan probably isn’t really new to Japanese toilets, judging from his apparent mastery of the Japanese language, we can all appreciate the feelings he expresses in the video. Japanese netizens, always fans of silly videos, also found Mr. Yabatan’s toilet experience hilarious.
“‘The toilet is alive.’ What a fantastic expression!”
“I laughed so hard at the end haha.”
“Anyone who has never experienced the washlet must try it once in their lives lol.”
“With the last wrong button push I laughed so hard my abs started to hurt haha.”
“Japanese toilets are pretty cool, aren’t they? lol I never noticed until now.”
“I watched this with my little brother. We both laughed so hard. We’re waiting for the next video!”
While foreigners might find the shared experience the funniest part, what might make this funny to Japanese netizens is the over-the-top comedy. If you’ve ever watched a Japanese variety show, you’ll know that Japanese comedians and variety stars will do almost anything for a laugh. Plus, his peculiar combination of fluency and stiffness in Japanese, coupled with a foreign accent, surely helps to endear him to Japanese audiences, as he is at once the innocent, funny foreigner, as well as a natural-sounding Japanese speaker. It might be similar to how the “Why Japanese people?” guy became so instantly popular, but either way, it’s hilarious.
I wonder if Mr. Yabatan has thought about making any reaction videos? I’d like to see his response to the naked magician with his tablecloth. No doubt he will shout “I am very surprised!”
Source: Twitter/@mr_yabatan via My Game News Flash
Images: Twitter/@mr_yabatan



Japanese Twitter gets excited about foreigner getting excited about cherry blossoms
Japanese toilet fans rejoice — bidet-style washlet water guns are here!
Everything you think you know about your washlet toilet is wrong
What happened when Conan O’Brien visited the Toto Japanese toilet showroom in Tokyo 【Video】
U.S.A. now the fastest-growing market for Japan’s high-tech toilets, now selling quicker than ever
Studio Ghibli unveils new Rollbahn notebook in honour of Howl’s Moving Castle
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Mister Donut wows matcha lovers in Japan with new Dora Matcha doughnuts
Universal Studios’ Sailor Moon theme park attraction is finally coming to America
Go, Super Alloy Kitty! Hello Kitty takes robot form and stars in original animated video
Does this video about an abandoned dog leave you wiping your eyes or shaking your fist?
Starbucks Japan offers special sakura picnics at Reserve Roastery Tokyo beside Meguro River
Family Mart convenience stores add “See-Through Pudding?” to their summer lineup【Taste test】
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
The joy of creating a wild Japanese ikebana flower arrangement for a country house【SoraHouse】
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]
7-Eleven Japan’s giant fried chicken skewer would be too big to eat, so it’s really for cuddling
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
$11,000 luxury Japanese toilet will probably give you the best poop experience of your life
Turns out even Japanese people aren’t sure how to use Japanese-style toilets
Japan’s bidet toilet capsule toys are here, but are they strong enough to wash your butt for you?
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
Should you flush a Japanese toilet with your foot or your hand?
Recent Survey Reveals Over 60% of Japanese Elementary Students Hate Japanese Style Toilets, Who Can Blame Them?
Kyoto village dealing with poo on floor as Japanese-style toilets confuse foreign travelers
American comedian Jimy Kimmel was blown away by Japan’s bathrooms【Video】
Poll reveals what we already know: Japanese toilets make no sense, confuse us all
Japanese vs. Western-style toilets: Squatty Potty stool gives us the best of both!
Toilet-seat themed comedic-adventure The Benza breaks new ground for foreign talent in Japan
Japanese poopers show strong enthusiasm for new portable banana toilet【Videos】
Pay-to-poop vs free poop: We compare Japanese toilets at Tokyo Station
Japanese squat toilet plastic model kit: Weird, gross, or both?【Photos】