Every time I go into a bathroom I'm not sure what I'll find. I mean, clearly the obvious, but the variations of toilets here just amazes me; the variations and the amenities. Even the McDonalds on base has a fancy toilet! And in case you don't know which buttons do what, usually instructions are posted inside each stall. Sometimes the bathrooms have squat toilets. My friend Julie loved those when potty training her son, but I have to 
be honest, I don't like them since I'm not used to them, and Keanna is just plain terrified of them! Usually there's both types of toilets in public bathrooms, so I've gotten in the habit of checking before choosing.
Lately every seat I've sat on has been heated. I lost my appreciation for that after spending a few years living in Hawaii, but let me tell you, have you ever been ice cold and unexpectedly sat on a warm seat? It's wonderful! Bob and I agree that before we leave here we're going to buy a fancy seat. I'm not talking about only a heated seat, but a Japanese seat.
Japanese toilets often have four or five buttons ... One button, labeled with a music note, creates a flushing sound when pushed to cover any embarrassing bathroom noises, which, from what I've heard, is any noise a person would make in the bathroom. (Sometimes the buttons are on the wall, other times it's attached to the toilet). The others mos
tly relate to the integrated bidet, which both sprays clean water and blow dries, right from the toilet. And the spray button and bidet button hit two different areas...the first few times I tried it I laughed so hard I snorted. Then I hit the music note button to try to cover up the snorting that comes with my laughing. Anyway if you ever come to visit here, don't say I haven't warned you! But beware, the shock of pressing a strange button and suddenly feeling a jet of water "down there" can lead to jumping and soaked pants. Well, maybe not soaked pants, but a few drips or dribbles!
Here is a collection of pictures I've taken during our nine months here, and a video too. I recorded this video on December 20th at a rest area off the expressway (highway) on our way to see the Nagano Snow Monkeys.
This is the bathroom from the Begonia & Owl Park. We went here in September and again in December. Notice the water on top of the toilet is running? It did that when the toilet flushed. 
And here are toilet seats for sale. This particular store was in Akihabara. We headed up there on Friday...pictures will be coming soon. Anyway, the toilet seat on the right was plugged in. When I walked by it the lid came up scaring the snot out of me. You can see that this one includes the water squirting. 
And here's a bathroom at a rest stop. When we walked in the lit board on the ceiling told us what types of toilets were in which stalls, and the blue lights tell you which is available...the red light means occupied. Pretty nifty, eh? And every bathroom at these rest stops, and even at stores and restaurants have a little urinal in them and a lower sink for kids. 
The picture on the left is an example of the squat toilet I talked about earlier. One foot on either side and you face the side with the tank. There's a pipe you can hang on to if you need. On the right is another example of a lower sink...Sydney is two and it's the perfect height for her. Keanna's using the hand dryer.
I saw this sign outside a stall at the rest area on the way home from the Nagano snow monkeys. I've never seen the changing table with a person standing on it before. So naturally I went in and snapped a shot. My guess is it's to stand on, without shoes, to change your clothes. That way your socks stay clean/dry? And see the toilet, it's got the control pad for water squirting, noise, heated seat, etc. The thing hanging above the toilet is a kid's seat that can be placed on the seat...just like what some people buy when potty training their kids.
