Edit: Not every, of course. And the number would vary by region of the US. Excuse the universal quantifier :)
I don't understand why bidets are fringe :(
This would be such an awesome first-world problems meme :)
I got a good chuckle from this discussion because I travel to Japan frequently. But no matter how many times I've encountered Japanese toilets, they still cause much amusement, confusion, and even some anxiety. (I say anxiety because sometimes it's hard to tell if pressing a button would cause the toilet to sing you a song or do something unexpected.)
After reading this article and seeing the very lively and rather in-depth discussion here on HN, I'm pleasantly surprised that I'm not the only one befuddled and fascinated by this bit of Japanese technology.
On the other hand, I've also spent time in parts of the world where there's no running water at all for flushing toilets. Hence the fringe nature of bidets in our society and toilet seats costing more than $1k = first world problems IMO. Not that it wouldn't make a great gift for the holidays.
This to me is the #1 reason I don't want bidets and would never use it. Pretty much the most repellent idea to me is the concept of the toilet spraying me back.
How's this for an idea... a sink next to the toilet where I can warm a piece of paper with water and use it. Nice, simple, and works well.
Or baby wipes. Those work really well too. Replicate this with an "adult version".
Toilet spray? No thanks. Ever
Anyway, why does that quote compare washing with soap and water? do bidets do this?
Wouldn't this have been the case in Japan in the early 80s too, when Washlets first came to the market?
I'm not Japanese, nor have I spent any time in Japan, so that's purely conjecture, but, knowing what little I know about Japanese culture, that wouldn't strike me as beyond belief.
I, personally, don't like the idea of a warm seat. All I'll be thinking about is "someone else just used this toilet".
Maybe one day I'll use one and it'll change my outlook completely, like the George Foreman grill nudged my outlook on the validity of infomercial products. But, until that happens? Nope, no thanks.
Japan is a series of volcanic islands with, historically, a very limited indigenous supply of large poop producing creatures like like cows, horses, and pigs. The result is that there was a great scarcity of fertile soil. To supplement their soil they instead relied on human feces. So valuable was it that back in the day you could sell your poop to professional manure collectors who walked around town with large pots.
The cultural legacy extends well beyond toilets. You may have seen recent articles about people creating meat from poop, and poop powered motorcycles. It's no coincide that those are Japanese inventions. Funny how a thing like geography affects things.
This being said, I can certainly relate to the cigarette smell, but that's not only a breath issue, that kind of smell sticks to everything, from clothes to interiors.
If only what you said were true.
1) A seat heater: Bathrooms used to be unheated so without this it would be very cold in the winter. Adding a heated seated was much cheaper than adding a room heater. 2) An artificial sound to overlay embarrassing farting sounds: Without this feature, it was common for Japanese women to constantly use the flush in order to create a louder sound. This was obviously a huge waste water.
Once the ground was laid, it was natural to extend the number of features.
2) An artificial sound to overlay embarrassing
farting sounds: Without this feature, it was
common for Japanese women to constantly use
the flush in order to create a louder sound.
This was obviously a huge waste water.
The Japanese diet also probably plays a role......
The otohime is a huge water saver, though.
My theory is that it's because American public toilets are usually made of 2 thin, low separation walls and a door with sometimes wide gaps which makes it almost inevitable to share the entire experience with everybody in the room.
Still not used to it...
People with more class and manners tend toward the French way of doing it.
I would much rather be with a person that thinks farts are funny then one who doesn't. To each their own.
That said, I tend to look for bathrooms to relieve myself privately.
"More mannered people are more mannered because they do not do things I consider ill-mannered."
A fart is a fart. Go to southeast Asia, it's still just a fart that people laugh at. Go to Europe and fart and now leave a bad impressions due to culture? I see which is the optimal setup for practicality and sanity.
* Stats from Statistics Bureau, Japan.
Edit: After reading the other comments, it is apparent that this is probably a good idea for primary users too. Makes sure the job is done right.