The Unexpected Item Tourists Should Know Many Public Restrooms In Japan Do Not Have

Restrooms aren't usually considered tourist attractions, but in Japan, they might be. Japan's one-of-a-kind toilets come with all kinds of fun features (think a bidet, a seat warmer, and music to mask any embarrassing sounds), and in some buildings, the restrooms are equipped with warm mood lighting, flowers, and other decorations. However, you might notice something missing from these spaces.

In Japan, many public bathrooms don't have hand dryers. Even fewer have paper towel dispensers (note that the wet, folded towels sometimes left near the sinks are meant for cleaning, not for drying your hands). And, occasionally, you may find a restroom that has an unplugged or covered-up hand dryer to signal it's out of use, a relic from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when the government banned the use of these appliances.

Despite the lack of electric dryers and paper towels in Japanese restrooms, you'll rarely see locals with dripping wet hands. Many people in Japan carry their own handkerchiefs to dry off after washing up, and you may want to do the same. You'll easily find small hand towels in department stores, gift shops, and chain stores like Don Quijote. Besides being practical, they also make for a great budget-friendly souvenir.

Hand drying habits aren't the only way Japanese restrooms may differ from those in your country. Visit Japan long enough and you'll discover a range of surprising features. One that takes many Western tourists by surprise is the squat toilet. These toilets, which look like a hole in the floor, are meant for squatting over, not sitting on. If you've never used a squat toilet, it can take some practice, but the good news is that most restrooms will have at least one Western-style toilet available.

In some places, such as izakayas and restaurants where you're required to remove your shoes, you may also notice toilet slippers. These are meant for wearing while you're in the stall, but be careful to avoid one embarrassing bathroom mistake: wearing the slippers outside of the restroom. Check your feet before you leave so you don't make this common blunder.

Women's restrooms often come equipped with a couple of additional features, such as a powder room space for touching up makeup, as well as special hands-free trash receptacles for sanitary goods. Besides these containers, you'll rarely find trash cans in Japanese restrooms — perhaps because there aren't usually any paper towels. With this in mind, don't bring your drink bottles and other rubbish to the restroom expecting to find a place to discard it.