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Comment by dvh | Hacker News Reader

This isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I read "Japanese toilet", what is the name of the toilet that is in the ground, that long oval shape with bump in front (or back?)

Update: "washiki" is the name

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Washiki 和式 means "Japanese style" and can refer to Japanese rooms (tatami), old-school Japanese toilets (squatting), etc.

The term for bidet/Toto style toilets in Japan is washlet (ワッシュレット).

Washiki literally means “Japanese style” and can be used in other contexts but, in general conversation has come to mean “Japanese style toilet”.

Yes but it is fundamentally different what article pictures as "japanese toilet", so the article is about "japanese western toilet" not "japanese squating toilet".

What would you picture if you were told "american car" ? Does it need to be a single universal thing ?

Otherwise, "Washiki toilet" is a term of art, and will not point to washlets. It will be the official designation in Japan as well.

Have you ever used one ? I actually think they are awesome. My dream in life is a washiki with a bidet function.

Why do you like them? Most Japanese do not. I find them gross. I had to use one recently in Osaka waiting for the Shinkansen at Shin Osaka Station. They require much better aim than a western bowl. They'd be horrible for diarrhea. Your poop just sits there in the open air and steams until you flush it, much more stinky than underwater.

I also don't prefer them, but a clear benefit is the squatting pose being a lot healthier than the standard sitting on a Western toilet. Somewhat fixable by a squatty potty, but those aren't in public restrooms.

> squatting pose being a lot healthier than the standard sitting on a Western toilet

I'm not convinced though maybe I was just never properly trained. When I use a squat toilet I have my pants bunched up, when I squat the bunched up pants are between my upper and lower legs and cut off the ciruculation in my legs. If I'm constipated it my legs are screaming much sooner than on a seat.

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