A Complete Guide:

Japanese toilets have a genuine reputation, and for once, the hype is deserved, though not always in the way first-time visitors expect. Between advanced washlet functions and the occasional traditional squat toilet, it’s worth knowing what you’re actually looking at before you’re standing in front of one trying to figure out the buttons. This guide covers both ends of the spectrum.

The Two Main Types You’ll Encounter

Washlets (high-tech Western-style toilets): the version most visitors have heard about, featuring a control panel with functions like heated seats, bidet washing, and sound features, alongside a standard Western-style seated toilet.
Traditional squat toilets: still found in some older buildings, train stations, and rural areas, these require squatting over a floor-level fixture rather than sitting.

Modern Japan is overwhelmingly equipped with washlets, particularly in hotels, department stores, and newer public facilities, but squat toilets haven’t entirely disappeared, especially at older train stations, some temples, and rural rest stops.

Understanding the Washlet Control Panel

Washlet panels vary by manufacturer and model, but most share a similar set of core functions, generally labeled with icons rather than text-only buttons, and increasingly with English labels at hotels and facilities used to international visitors.

Rear Wash (labeled “Oshiri” in Japanese, meaning “bottom”): typically marked with an icon resembling a bottom shape, this sprays a stream of water for cleaning.
Bidet (women only): usually marked with a different icon, intended for women.
Pressure and position adjustment: buttons to adjust water pressure and the direction of the spray.
Dryer: a warm air drying function, found on higher-end models.
Seat heating: a genuinely appreciated feature during Japan’s colder months, controlled separately from the washing functions.
Sound/privacy button: plays a flushing sound or gentle music to mask other sounds, a feature rooted in a cultural preference for discretion, not an actual flush function.
Stop button: usually a large, clearly marked button to immediately halt any active function, worth locating first in case something activates unexpectedly.
Flushing: after using the toilet, this is generally done by pulling a silver lever located next to the water tank, though some models also include a dedicated “flush” button on the wall-mounted control panel instead.

If you’re unsure which button does what, the stop button is the most important one to identify first.

What to Do If You Encounter a Squat Toilet

Squat toilets involve straddling a floor-level fixture facing the raised end (usually toward a wall-mounted flush handle or button), squatting down, and using it much like an outdoor or floor-level toilet elsewhere in the world. They’re less common than they used to be, but not rare enough to assume you’ll never encounter one, particularly at older train stations, some public parks, and certain temples. There’s no special skill required beyond simply squatting rather than sitting, though it can feel unfamiliar on a first encounter.

Toilet Etiquette Worth Knowing

Slippers are often provided for bathroom-only use in traditional accommodations like ryokan and some private homes, meant to be worn only inside the bathroom and swapped back for your regular indoor slippers when you leave. Forgetting to swap them back is a common, harmless mistake visitors make.
Toilet paper should be disposed of in the toilet, not in a nearby trash bin, in nearly all modern Japanese facilities, a difference from some other countries with more fragile plumbing systems.
Public restrooms are generally very clean and widely available at train stations, convenience stores, department stores, and parks, making it easy to find one when needed.
Bring your own tissue or a small hand towel as a backup, since some older or smaller facilities don’t provide paper towels or hand dryers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Japanese toilets actually as impressive as people say?

For washlets specifically, generally yes. The heated seats and bidet functions genuinely surprise a lot of first-time users, and many visitors find themselves missing the feature once they’re back home.

What if I press the wrong button on a washlet?

Nothing dangerous will happen. Worst case, you’ll get an unexpected water spray or a flushing sound, easily resolved by pressing the stop button, usually large and clearly marked.

Do all public restrooms in Japan have washlets?

Most modern ones do, particularly in cities, but older facilities, some train stations, and rural areas may still have basic toilets or squat-style options, so it’s not something to assume universally.

Is it true that some Japanese toilets play sounds?

Yes, this is a real, common feature, generally intended to mask other bathroom sounds for privacy, reflecting a broader cultural preference for discretion rather than being a flush mechanism itself.

Next Steps

Don’t overthink it: modern washlets are intuitive once you understand the basic icon layout, and the stop button is always your safety net if something unexpected happens. If you do encounter a traditional squat toilet, it’s a straightforward adjustment rather than something requiring special preparation.

This post is part of an ongoing series on Japan travel planning. Check back for more practical guides on daily logistics and cultural customs.

Rakuten Travel is one of Japan’s largest and most popular domestic travel booking platforms. It features an extensive database of hotels, ryokan, resorts, and other accommodations across Japan, making it an excellent choice for travelers looking to book stays throughout the country. Available in your language.

How to Use a Japanese Toilet