KITAKYUSHU: Japan is currently experiencing an all-time high in the number of tourists visiting it. At the same time, one of its more secluded attractions — a high-tech toilets is becoming something that luxury bathrooms should never be without.
More than 80% of homes in Japan have bidet toilets which are characterized by their warm seats and precision spray technology according to a government survey report.
Now, sales are booming overseas and particularly in the United States, led by celebrities who swear by bidets such as Drake, the Kardashians and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The Japanese company TOTO, who introduced electric bidets which they claim “have ignited worldwide revolution from wiping to washing”, says that revenues for toilets in foreign markets almost doubled from ¥100bn ($673m) in 2012.
This home-renovation boom was one of the factors behind sales spike but it also gave rise to germophobic consumers who urgently needed alternatives other than toilet papers which were being taken out due to panic buying during the pandemic time.
Shinya Tamura, Senior Executive at TOTO overseeing international business told AFP that this success has grown because people know about it through word-of-mouth.
“Initially when you hear how their water jets work with pressure points and temperature controls ‘you think oh that doesn’t sound good’,
“But” we can’t tell you how great it feels using words. You just have to try it,” said Tamura
“And then after some point most people can’t live without it.”
International net sales for housing equipment are currently less than a third of those in Japan for the firm.
With the aim to establish a solid position there to compensate China’s decreased demand for less essential goods within 19 percent increase sale over two years’, Americas market will be targeted by TOTO.
TOTO alongside its Japanese competitors like Panasonic and LIXIL could see their dominance challenged at home as more Americans opt for a clean bum.
“Smartest toilet”
“This is the most advanced smart toilet in existence,” said the marketing manager of American brand Kohler during a big tech show in Las Vegas this year, referring to its Numi 2.0, which takes verbal commands through an integrated Amazon Alexa device.
Just like top-end Japanese models, the Numi 2.0 has an automatic deodoriser and a motion-activated lid that opens when you enter the bathroom and closes when you leave.
Meanwhile, warm-air dryers have adjustable settings for users as well as wands with pulsating or oscillating functions.
However, it costs about $8,500 – $10,000 compared to around $500 more basic bidet seats cost.
A salesman at Ardy’s Bath Collection in Beverly Hills stated that many Americans who visit Japan are tempted to upgrade their toilets.
“They see it in the airport and they see it in public restrooms and they use it and they’re like ‘wow this is great’” he said.
Everywhere bidets are “popular” but some customers find discussing them “weird” or even “private”.
While fancy Japanese-style toilets become status symbols fairly quickly, TOTO’s bosses have been battling prudishness for decades when trying to expand abroad
The company had difficulty placing ads after it first introduced its Washlet bidet into America in 1986 so did not place any advertisements while its pop events got thrown out of high-end mall due to complaints about other stores there. ‘Does it hurt?’
