I like the idea of integrating the toilet and sink. I think it is a brilliant solution to small spaces, but how do you use the sink if the toilet is sitting right in front of it?

The toilet/sink combo is not a substitute for a sink - It's only used for washing hands after using the facilities - the water is cold only (use soap, please) and is the same water used to fill the tank, so it starts running when you flush and stops when the tank is full.

Yes, but how do you use it? Do you straddle the seat? Bend over? Kneel on the toilet lid? It looks cumbersome.

Comicgeek, you just stand in front of the toilet facing the sink, reach out and wash your hands. If you are very short you may have to lean forward, if you are very tall you may have to lean downward. It's the same basic dimensions as the average toilet so just try to touch the top of your toilet tank at home you'll see it isn't a difficult reach.

My question is about the soap, since the water fills the tank and bowl are there certain types of soap that are better suited to this situation? Something that won't cause soap scum or too many bubbles when you flush?

I used these often when living in japan. The sink over the toilet is meant just for after you use the toilet. We didn't use any special soap for that sink. Right outside of the toilet closet was a normal sink for when you need to wash your hands but not use the toilet. The bath was typically located in another closetish area (not in the same room as the toilet).

I'm fairly short and didn't need to straddle the toilet to use the sink. It's the same size as an American toilet and the seat doesn't really get in the way at all.

The bathtubs were also interesting because they were really deep, but much shorter front to back then American tubs. YOu could have a nice long soak without having to use as much water and it was more comfortable to me then typical deep american tubs.

When I've been out roaming in this Great Land of Ours, upon my return I'm happier to be greeted by my Toto Washlet than by my cats.

I was looking at the toilet tank sink when I thought I was moving into an apartment where the bathroom had no sink, just shower and toilet. In strangely configured urban apartments I think this is a great solution-- definitely better than not having a bathroom sink at all. Luckily I found a cheaper, bigger apartment with a much nicer bathroom.

The japanese are so weird....

No, Japanese are soooooooooo smart.

Hehehe, sorry, what I meant by saying weird is that they are so expressive in a different way the western people are, looking at their expressions when they are being showed the aquarium toilet. Not intended as an offensive comment, just to clarify.

I've had the Toto washlet for about three years. LOVE IT!!!

So the toilet & sink is quite a concept, however when I went to Japan, the thing that shocked me was the sound effects. There were quite a few restrooms that as soon as you sat down a waterfall sound would start. This would be to ensure that no one is self conscious about their bathroom use. There is a reasoning behind this, but still kind of funny. So not only are sinks included, but also speakers and who knows what else, depending on the location. I am partial Japanese but their bathrooms are always quite intriguing dependent upon where you are in the country.

This reminds me of going to Japan with my kids, then ages four and seven. The first night my daughter took one look at that porcelain slot in the floor, and decided she'd just wait until she got home. She didn't realized home was on the other side of the international date line.

Despite the claim at the beginning, "Japan is a huge influence on design, but nowhere do they influence it as much as in bathroom design," I don't see any of these solutions as being especially appealing or useful. In fact a few of the images are depressing. As for the aquarium toilet - those poor fish. What an offense to them. The posting gave me a heightened appreciation of the accomplishments of airline engineers, whose bathroom designs suddenly seem enlightened.

Don't mean to be negative, but toilets are not what I like to look at first thing in the morning.

So glad I never had to use a squat toilet during my trip to Japan. They scare me!

Enough with the open toilet pictures! Ugly AND bad feng shui (the two go together in my mind). AT's fortunes may be flushing down these toilets soon! I agree with jennywren03--put something else at the top of the blog STAT!

I work for TOTO. All of these products are amazing.

www.totousa.com

the sink over the toilet idea just looks like a jail bathroom to me since it's the only place i've seen it implemented in this country.

no, sorry! these sink toilets are not working for me. and the squatting like a dog makes me want to throw up while i'm at it. just buy baby wipes, are toliets are fine the way they are.

The thought of squatting over a toilet makes the bad disc in my lower back throb.

one word: hemorrhoids! lolol

Actually, using a squat toilet actually helps prevent intestinal/rectal troubles - that includes hemorrhoids. Keeps your legs strong, too. It's even right on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_toilet

Benefits are pretty laid out. There are a few cons, naturally, but honestly? Not a bad design! Just because it's different, doesn't mean it's bad. Just gotta get the hang of using them!

What SputnikSpak says is true. Humans were made to squat.

When I came back to USA-land, I found for the first month or so, I had to perch like a little birdy on the toilet seat. My Korean friends say that when they came back here to graduate school after summer vacations back home they had to perch too. Tweet tweet.

In my first apartment in the Korean barrio of Osaka, I had only a WC but no bath at all and went most nights to one of the local sento (public bath). The hottest water found outside of a geyser must be a soaking tub at a sento.

"the sink over the toilet idea just looks like a jail bathroom to me since it's the only place i've seen it implemented in this country."
posted by beakllerina on March 14th 2009 at 1:39pm

They have them here http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/good/overview

squat toilets are far healthier than our current options, that's for sure. At temples and shrines and the like you leave your outside shoes by the door of the tmeple, leave the temple shoes at the door of the bathroom and then your body doesn't touch any part of the toilet itself. Plus it's good exercise. Takes some getting used to, but uses less water in general and it's all good.

Certainly more appealing than the 'inspection shelf' Dutch toilets!

I would hate to have a squat toilet because I'm a lazy spoiled American, but it shouldn't be a *sickening* idea... how do you think people did their business before toilets or garderobes were invented?

I lived in Japan for about 12 years. Our house had a 'western' toilet in one stall and a urinal in the other, but no traditional Japanese toilet. I think most of the newer buildings are moving toward the western style.

I hated using the bathroom when drunk at the bar/club, because I almost certainly would forget that my cell phone was in my back pocket...

They can be cleaner (the Japanese type) because you don't have to worry about 'touching' anything: in fact many have a button you step on to flush. However sometimes they can be quite disgusting: subways late on a Friday night, or at a busy club for example. Lots of drunk people trying to aim at a hole in the ground can leave quite a mess that you will then have to step through.

I have to agree with the squatting is more natural and how we were intended to do it. I also believe the unnatural position may even bring about problems. So many of our so called modern solutions were never really thought about in terms of how they could affect us.

squating is the normal healthy postion for pooping, america "lags behind", no pun intended.

The Japanese developed the heated toilet seat and the combo toilet -- bidet... yes, just press a button (or switch a lever, I don't remember) and wait for the gentle cleansing jets of water! Ha ha. It's really a trip.

And what about some of the more creative bathrooms at love hotels! I remember running the tub to overflowing and floating on a sea of bubbles on the raft kindly supplied by management. Ah, Tokyo.

And using a squat toilet drunk, in high heels, wearing a mid-calf dress is difficult, potentially dangerous and dirty.