Squat Toilet Onboard

There are mixed views about toilets in Japan. On the one hand, many people outside Japan praise how restrooms are developed, as they are clean, automated and many of them have a shower for the best "position". On the other hand, quite a few people mourn unclean "traditional" squat toilets...like this American lady in a hilarious video.

(It always appears in front of me when it is the most urgent)

Since Japan is an Asian country, there are still many squat toilets. They look different from those in France or Italy, and perhaps the Japanese one is a little more hygienic, but both are effectively the same. Not only those from Northern and Western Europe, but also not a few Japanese people dislike it. However (and surprisingly), according to a survey conducted in 2016 by The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, nearly 20% answered that they preferred a squat one.

It is easy to find (or avoid) a squat toilet. Old buildings in rural areas, especially public toilets, tend to have it only.

Accessible toilet on Keikyu 1000 series

When it comes to railway in Japan, most stations have "western-style" toilets as do trains. Those introduced or refurbished recently have accessible toilets, sometimes with the shower feature. However, there are still trains with squat toilets even in Tokyo, which may be shocking for some people.

E217 series on Yokosuka and Sobu Rapid Lines have squat toilets. One out of three toilets on an 11-carriage unit (coach no. 11), and the only one on a 4-car unit (coach no. 増1), are the squat type. Since the E217 series is nearly 30 years old, those toilets are not always clean (though still durable).

E231 series on Tokaido Main, Takasaki and Utsunomiya Lines (also known as Ueno-Tokyo or Shonan-Shinjuku Lines) also have a squat toilet. Not all E231 series have one (thankfully), but a few 10-car units introduced before 2006 may bring you despair when you declare yourself in a state of emergency. The best way to avoid it is not going to the one on coach no. 6, and look for the other on either no. 1 (10-car units) or no. 11 (5-car units).

EXE stands for "Excellent"? Humbug!

A few private railways have one too. Odakyu 30000 series EXE has squat toilets, and presumably it is one of the reasons why the series has been the most unpopular train among all Romancecar trains. Odakyu has been refurbishing the series, and they installed accessible toilets with the shower feature on the renovated units, which are called EXE α.

Seibu 10000 series

Seibu has two types of trains with a squat toilet: 4000 series and 10000 series New Red Arrow. The 4000 series is used for stopping services between Hanno and Seibu-Chichibu, but most tourists would not use it. The 10000 series is used for Limited Express Koedo (Seibu-Shinjuku – Hon-Kawagoe), and the one on coach no. 7 is the "controversial" one.

Tobu 200 series

Tobu has three types: 100 series SPACIA, 200 series and 6050 series. The 100 series is less of an issue, as each toilet section has both the squat and western ones. Two out of three toilets on the 200 series are the squat toilet, but an accessible one is installed on coach no. 3 of 6. The 6050 series does not have a western-style one, but this train no longer runs in Tokyo.

There are eight types of rolling stock in the Greater Tokyo Area (JR East and major private railways) with squat toilets. In most cases, they have the western-style toilet as well, but if you are unlucky you may have to walk down the train. Thus, it is recommended to finish your "work" at station when nature calls you.

Finally, there are more traditional toilets onboard in western Japan, as JR West still uses considerable number of JNR trains, such as 113 series and 115 series. These 40-year-old trains only have the squat one so that best be borne in mind. More surprisingly, 500 series bullet train has one too, though the western-style ones are also available.

The one on 24 series sleeper coach

Again, in most cases you will see the western one, but be careful that it is not 100%.