Japanese Toilets and Bum Guns in Thailand

Japanese Toilets

Our love of bidets first blossomed back in 2013 when my wife and I took a five week trip to Thailand. We’d never been to Asia before and it was a bucket list voyage.

Many people are already familiar with some of the amazing things one can experience in Thailand. The food, art, music and culture are usually rightfully towards the top of the list, but no one ever told us about the bidets. 

We packed our bags for the experience of a lifetime and eventually landed in Narita, Japan where we had a connecting flight to Bangkok. We had a couple of hours to explore the airport while we waited to board our connection and upon using the public restroom, we were excited to discover a high tech Japanese toilet! 

Japan is known for embracing technology and for their top of the line electric bidets, but I was still a bit surprised to find one in a public airport restroom. I’d seen pictures of "crazy" Japanese toilets before, but this was the first time I’d been able to use one.

I felt slightly nervous but also excited to use something so foreign to me. I decided right then and there that I was willing to embrace whatever this trip threw my way, so I gave it a shot and was pleasantly surprised. 

It was the first of many new and exotic experiences we would have in those first few days in a foreign land. All of our senses were being bombarded at once.

Thailand

We’d been given a heads up about how intense Bangkok can be for the uninitiated and the capital of Thailand did not disappoint. The heat, humidity, noise, congestion and smog were omnipresent and real, but so were the amazing flavors, architecture and people. 

After a week or so the jet lag wore off, as did the feeling of sensory overload and we actually started to get used to it all. One of the things we started getting used to and actually looked forward to was the bathroom experience.

After walking around a hot, crazy, amazing city all day we sweat a lot and always felt kind of, well, dirty. That is except for the ability to get clean on a level we’d never really experienced before after using the bathroom.

Bum Guns

Like other developing countries, Thailand’s plumbing doesn’t allow for toilet paper to be flushed down the toilet. Instead they install the ubiquitous hand spray bidet attachment  or "bum gun" to just about every single public bathroom we encountered.

After you do your business you simply reach over and grab the conveniently placed hand sprayer and give your bum a quick rinse. A few squares of TP to dry yourself and than you're off again to experience the wonders around you.

I’d never felt so clean after using the toilet, let alone a public toilet. I couldn't fathom why anyone would prefer to use dry paper instead of water on such a sensitive area.

The effectiveness of the bum gun was undeniable. Even though we were in a hot and at times, slightly chaotic environment, we felt immeasurably cleaner.     

Something Was Missing

We stayed in Bangkok for a week before heading out to the different islands and cities, eventually making our way back home to the U.S. where something just didn’t feel quite right. We obviously missed the adventure, beautiful beaches and incredible sights, but there was something else missing. 

I could not get used to only wiping with dry paper again. I had changed. I was no longer the same person that had boarded that flight to Asia only a few months before.

I had to find some kind of bum gun or a bidet immediately and that’s exactly what I did. Now every time I use my Eco-Nova electric bidet seat, I can’t help but be brought back to my amazing experience in Thailand and Asia in general.  

Once you start using a bidet regularly you will never want to go back. It’s so much better than just using toilet paper on multiple levels. People spend a decent amount of time on the toilet throughout their lives, so why not make it the best and most enjoyable it can possibly be? 

Let us help you find the perfect bum gun, bidet seat or japanese toilet to drastically upgrade your bathroom experience!