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Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com! If you will ever visit Japan, this is one episode of Miki’s blog you must hear! Did you know that Japan’s toilets are very different from those in the U.S.? In fact, some have lids that open and close automatically. As Miki explains, some of these toilets and the walls around them are covered with buttons. The instructions on the buttons are in Japanese; there is no English to be found. So, you might get stuck with no clue how to get the toilet seat up or how to flush the toilet!

That’s why this episode of Miki’s blog is so important. It’s full of funny facts about Japanese bathrooms. But, it also contains information you will need just to use the restroom in Japan! For example, you might not be able to operate the toilet if you don’t recognize the Otohime button! Everyone appreciates a little toilet humor, but this blog might save you some serious embarrassment!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 pm and is filed under Advanced Audio Blog 1 . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

9 Responses to “Audio Blog #103 - Toilets in Japan: Instructions Needed!”

JapanesePod101.com says:

みなさんこんにちは、美樹のブログです。

日本が世界に誇れるものの一つにハイテクトイレがあると思います。私は外国に一週間以上行っていると日本のトイレが懐かしくなります。外国のトイレに比べると、日本のトイレはそれくらいきれいで快適です。いろんな機能がありますが、まず便座が温かいです。そしてウォッシュレットが付いていることが多いです。フタが自動で開いたり閉まったりしたり、立ち上がっただけで水が流れるものも珍しくありません。また、トイレに入っている時の音を消すための「音姫」という機械があります。トイレに入っている時の音が恥ずかしいので音を消すために水を流す人が多く、その水が無駄になるので水の流れる音だけが出るこの機械が作られました。音姫を使うのは日本人ならではの感覚かもしれません。
私はまだ出会ったことがないですが、トイレをすることで健康チェックをしてくれるものもあるそうです。日本には元々洋式のトイレが無かったことを考えると、日本には外国の文化を輸入して改良する能力があると思います。大勢の人が値段の高い高級トイレにお金を使うという点においては日本はどこの国にも負けてないんじゃないでしょうか。
ハイテクトイレやトイレの壁にはたくさんのボタンが付いていて、英語での説明はありません。みなさんが初めてそれを見たらどれを押していいのか迷ってしまうかもしれませんね!
すべての日本のトイレが快適というわけではなく、少し田舎へ行くとまだまだ和式の古いタイプのものもあります。日本に来たらせっかくなのでハイテクトイレを試してほしいです。

みなさんの国で他のどの国にも負けないと思うものは何ですか?
それでは、また来週!

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Brian says:

Totoが大好きです!特に冬になって暖かい便座に着陸して気持ちいい!残念ながら、そんな商品はちょっと高いし、トイレの部屋にはコンセントはないから、もし買おうとしたら、コンセントの、何っていうかな、壁に入れること、インストールの料金も払わないといけないって言われた、大家さんに。多分全部で4、5万円かかるかもしれないので、やめといたね。

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Mariana says:

あたしは日本に行った時ですごいびくりした。あの電顕はふつすいせんトイレと思っから、音を聞くだけびくりした。友達から聞いた、あの電鍵が女のために作った。理由がちゃんと分からないでも多分、べんりになることがある。

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Highbridge says:

変かもしれないけど、”音姫”のこと凄く気になります!男子トイレに見たことないです!(あるわけないんです) :mrgreen: :nihon:

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Phil says:

I’ve always wondered which difficulty level these are aimed at. I usually listen at intermediate/lower intermediate, and handle them fine, but Miki’s blogs are always way, way over my head. There is always a mountain load of vocabulary I am unfamiliar with, with none of it explained afterwards and all delivered at a break neck pace.

Perhaps it would be better to classify these blogs somehow, listing them as upper intermediate lessons.

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John says:

I think it’s great listening to these to hear the vocabulary and grammar you have actually learned in real-life situations.

Miki! ありがとうございました!^_^ あなたのボロ-グがいつもおもしろいです。^^  :mrgreen:

ジョン

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ooka says:

When I was in Tajimi (near Nagorya) in 2003, the company where i spent my internship had its own RYO (`寮) so i lived there with all the bachelors of the company… Anyway, Europeans cannot squat, we just can’t. We’re not used to it when we’re kids and then our legs are to stiff and it gest immediately painful around the ankle when we do try to. The ryo only had 和式トイレ… I can’t tell you how happy i was when I found out there was a ハイテクトイレ at the company, and although i marvelled at the fact that i had to translate the instruction for a toilet seat, i did all I could to make it so that i only had to go during office hours ^^.

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JKid says:

Phil-san,
My personal opinion is that the Audio Blogs are different from lessons in that they are not aimed at a certain difficulty level to teach grammar points. In my view there purpose is to give people a chance to be exposed to native speed conversation in order to get your ears accustomed to the speed and flow of the language and to train you to try and piece together a conversation from what you do understand. Of course, the list of vocab is provided for you to study later and add that to your vocabulary “inventory” if you will, so that as you listen to other blogs you can comprehend more and more and feel comfortable with the speed.

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タネ says:

Having lived all my life in North America, but also having been to Japan many times, I found the otohime sounds really irritating after a while. I had heard of “shy bladder” syndrome, where people can’t “go” unless their sound is covered up. I don’t know that it’s unque to Japanese womem. But doesn’t the otohime sound make it obvious that you’re actually sitting on the toilet?! Anyway, I really enjoyed this blog. And I LOVE the warm seats in winter!

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