Squat Toilets

Squat toilets

Hokay…so squat toilets are weird. I know that in other parts of the world they squat to go potty too but still…it’s odd…

And yes this is a little embarrassing to talk about…but I’m pretty sure some of you out there want to ask about this but just haven’t…so…here’s my little 2 cents on the matter…

So squat toilets are these things:



I’m sure some of you have seen these before. If not, yes, that is what I have to use at school…sometimes… I tried avoid it as much as possible my first…2 weeks…hmm…first week to week and a half I think…anyhoo, I tried to not use them because I wasn’t ready to embarrass myself trying to use one.

Well, one day I really had to go…so I tried it… And part of the reason I never tried it before was that I didn’t really know how to use one (actually…there’s a small chance I’m still doing it a little wrong…keep reading). But I was like, “I can’t keep running away from it. I have to do it…and I really have to do…”
So…I remembered what the seminar during Tokyo Orientation said about squatting while facing the plumbing…and about squatting as close as you can to the “action” (well…that’s how the presenter said it). So I did…and in fear of my pants getting wet from any spillage that might have gone on before, I pulled up my pants too…hard to explain…but yea…because I really had to go and was afraid of going on myself (which would be so unbelievably embarrassing) I tried to make it as controlled as I can. Which of course meant that I was there longer…Now…what happens when a person who’s not used to squatting squats for a long time??? Oh that’s right…the circulation to the legs gets cut, right?
Right…
Simply put, getting up was a bit of a challenge…

Anyhoo, after that, it’s gotten easier and easier to do.

However, I have noticed that they tend to flush as they’re going…I’m guessing so you don’t hear them going…which explains why some public restrooms have that “flushing sound effects” machine (some that go automatically). But…I don’t do that…and they haven’t said anything to me about it. Are they just as embarrassed to talk about it as I am or are they letting me slide since I’m the gaijin (foreigner)???

But yea…so glad my apartment has a regular toilet.

Oh yea. Just a couple weeks ago, I found the western toilet at my school. So of course, I tend to go there if I really don’t feel like dealing with squatting…
;P