My wife is Japanese, and from her I've learned about Japanese toilets. Not sure if you've seen any Japanese facilities, but they often have all kinds of cool features that folk (such as PoopReport readers) who enjoy the ritual of the number two would surely covet.
For instance, they often have washlets -- kind of a built-in bidet, but so much more. Upon the press of a button, a small spray-head emerges to clean you up. Washlets even have different functions/positions for men and women, and I believe that some of these also have driers (although I've yet to experience such a delight).
Three examples of washlets. I'm jealous.
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Arguably better, though, is what I witnessed at the house of a friend of my wife -- the remote control toilet. Yes, they have a remote handset that you can use while perched on the seat (or anywhere else) to access any of the functions -- washing, flushing etc.
But in spite of all their advances, I have reason to believe that Japanese women are the ultimate Shameful Shitters. When my wife (then fiancé) moved in with me, I noticed that whenever she used the toilet, two (or sometimes more) flushes emanated from the bathroom. Feigning pseudo-mock environmental concern, I eventually found the nerve to ask her about this.
As you may know, many Japanese folk are too shy or reserved to talk about things such as bathroom activity. But she did manage to tell me that it was because she was embarrassed about the inevitable noises. Therefore, she flushed before using the toilet to mask the noise of taking a pee or a poo.
I asked her if this was something personal to her, or a common trait of Japanese women; she replied the latter. She then told me that the folks who make public toilets in Japan cottoned on to this, and also had environmental concerns about water wastage. They came up with a device that is installed in many public ladies' rooms that, at the press of a button, plays a recording of the toilet being flushed -- so you can mask whatever noises you might be making without wasting any water.
If this is the ultimate in Shameful Shitting, does acknowledging it with the mock-flushing device make it better or worse?
-- Matthew W.
(She also told me that their efforts were partly wasted because sometimes the mock flush is so unconvincing that women often resort to a real flush, even when a flush simulator is installed.)
