Japanese toilets are famous for their heated seats, spray functions, and control panels covered in unfamiliar symbols. They are also easy to find, almost always free, and usually very clean. This guide helps first-time visitors and new residents decode the buttons and follow the unwritten rules.
How do you use a Japanese toilet? Many toilets have a panel next to the seat with buttons labeled in Japanese. Start with the lowest water pressure, and press the stop button (止) if anything surprises you. Panels in public toilets sometimes also have a red emergency button (非常ボタン) in case you need help.
For the bigger picture of why these facilities are so well regarded, see why Japan’s public toilets are in a league of their own. This article is the practical manual.
Where to Find Public Restrooms
Public restrooms are easy to find: train stations, department stores, shopping centers, parks, and tourist sites nearly all have them, and they are usually free to use. Many convenience stores also have a restroom. Policies vary, so ask the staff politely before using it, and buy something if you can. In tourist areas, some shops restrict restroom use to customers.
Reading the Control Panel
Many toilets, in homes and in public places, have a panel next to the seat with buttons labeled in Japanese. The most common are:
- 止 (tome): stop. Press this if the water is too strong or you want to stop at any moment
- おしり (oshiri): a rear spray
- ビデ (bide): a gentler front spray, mainly for women
- 乾燥 (kanso): dry
- 流す / 流れる (nagasu / nagareru): flush
- 大 / 小 (dai / sho): a large or small flush
- 音姫 or 消音 (otohime / shoon): plays a masking sound of running water, so that others cannot hear you
- 水勢 (suisei) 強 / 弱: water pressure, strong or weak
- 暖房便座 (danbou benza): the heated seat
If you cannot read the labels, look for pictograms next to each button. Start with the lowest water pressure, and remember that the stop button (止) is the one to press if anything surprises you. Panels in public toilets sometimes also have a red emergency button (非常ボタン) in case you need help.
Squat Toilets
Western-style toilets are now the norm, but squat-style toilets can still be found in some older stations, parks, and rural facilities. Face the raised hood at the front, squat over the bowl with your clothes held clear, and flush with the handle or button on the wall. Many public restrooms have at least one Western-style stall, so if you prefer one, check the stalls or the signs.
Toilet Slippers
In some restaurants, ryokan, schools, and homes, there are separate slippers just for the toilet. Switch into them at the toilet entrance and take them off when you come out, leaving them lined up for the next person. Never walk back into the dining room wearing them. This follows the same idea as the genkan and the habit of taking off shoes: clean and dirty spaces are kept separate.
Paper, Bins, and Flushing
Toilet paper dissolves in water and goes down the toilet. Anything else, such as wet wipes and sanitary products, goes into the bin, usually labeled サニタリーボックス (sanitary box). In some older facilities, signs may tell you to put paper in the bin instead, so follow the signs. If the paper runs out, check the next stall, and consider carrying a small packet of pocket tissues.
No Paper Towels? The Handkerchief Habit
Many public restrooms have no paper towels, and some have no working hand dryers. Most Japanese people carry a small handkerchief or towel, and you should too. Wash your hands, then dry them on your own handkerchief.
Toilets on Trains and at Highway Rest Areas
Long-distance trains such as the Shinkansen have toilets on board, usually in several cars, including a multipurpose toilet in some of them. Expressway service areas and roadside rest stops (michi-no-eki) also have toilets, and many are kept clean and well equipped, including baby-changing spaces. On short commuter trains, toilets are rare, so use the station facilities before you board.
Toilet Manners at a Glance
- Lock the door, and wait your turn behind the floor marks if there is a queue
- Keep phone calls and loud conversation out of the restroom
- Leave the toilet clean, with the lid down if the toilet has one, and flush
- Put sanitary items in the bin and only toilet paper in the toilet
- Carry your own handkerchief, and pocket tissues just in case
Accessible Toilets and Etiquette
Larger facilities have multipurpose toilets (多機能トイレ) with extra space for wheelchair users, people with ostomies, and families with babies. Please use them only for as long as you need, because someone else may be waiting. When there is a line, stand behind the marks on the floor, as in the vending machine and queue culture of everyday life. Keep conversation low, and do not take photographs inside.
Public design has also become part of the story. In Shibuya, the Tokyo Toilet project has installed public restrooms designed by well-known architects and designers, including stalls with transparent walls that turn opaque when you lock the door. For why the layout of homes is different as well, see why Japanese bathrooms are split into three rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a convenience store toilet?
Often yes, but ask the staff first, and buy something if you can. Some stores restrict use, especially in tourist areas.
Do I have to pay to use public toilets in Japan?
Almost never. Toilets in stations, parks, and shopping centers are generally free.
What do the 大 and 小 buttons mean?
They are the large and small flush. Use 小 for liquid waste and 大 for solid waste, so the toilet uses the amount of water it needs.
What if I can’t read the buttons?
Look for the pictograms next to each button, start with the lowest water pressure, and press 止 (stop) if the water is too strong.
Do I need to change into toilet slippers?
Only if they are provided at the toilet entrance. When there are slippers, change into them, and take them off when you leave.
A Small Space With Big Design
Japanese toilets reward the curious. A few minutes spent learning the buttons and the habits, such as the handkerchief and the slippers, turns a source of confusion into one of the most comfortable parts of daily life in Japan.
Related Reading
- Japan’s Public Toilets — Why They Are in a League of Their Own
- Why Japanese Bathrooms Are Split Into Three Separate Rooms
- Why Japan Takes Off Its Shoes: The Culture of the Genkan
- Vending Machines in Japan: Why They’re Everywhere and What They Say About the Country
- Japanese Etiquette and Unwritten Rules: The Complete Guide
- Daily Life in Japan: A Complete Guide to Shops, Food, and Everyday Habits