A Few of My Favorite Things - Bathroom Edition

So last time I talked about all the things I'll really miss. I'm learning that moving across the world is a whirlwind of emotions, and today I'm feeling dreamy.

When I left Japan last time, I told my husband that it felt a lot like I was leaving home. I fell in love with Japan and I dare say I left a little bit of me there. Ever since, the things I saw, experienced, and ate (yes, especially ate) have been the stuff of my dreams.

Now I know it's normal to romanticize a place when you're not living there, but indulge me this time. Maybe this post will come in handy to remind me of all the things I love about Japan when I'm having a bad day there.

1. The Bathroom

Yes, you read that right. Japanese bathrooms are doing it 10,000 ways of awesome. The tub is actually deep enough for you to take a real bath in, and coupled with any one of thousands of bath salts/bombs/dissolving rose petals, the experience is a daily treat.

The experience starts with the push of a button.

This is your personal, automated bathroom butler who makes sure that when you push the button at dinner, your dream bath is waiting for you by the time you're done eating. Mine will be named Jeeves. And Jeeves is amazing. He can do anything you want. Want your bath now? That's what the priority button is for! Set the temperature to exactly what you want (in Celsius, because a 45 degree F bath would not be swell) and if your bath takes a little longer than expected - a VERY common occurrence - there is a re-heat button so you can stay submersed for as long as you want.

This is a typical Japanese bathroom:

So the culture is that you do your washing before you get in the bath. Honestly, it's brilliant, and I don't know why we don't do it in America. Who wants to soak in their own filth? 

So the whole room is waterproofed. Using the shower head on the hose, you wash your hair and body, usually sitting on a stool. Or you know, whatever you do. No one cares. When you're squeaky-clean, hop into the bath for the most relaxing sound of all time.

The sound of the tub, filled to the brim with water, overflowing in great cascades to the floor and down the drain.

I can't even get enough of it. I love it. I love that waterfall. I love soaking in custom-temperature bliss forever. I can't wait until it becomes a daily ritual.

Also automated: the toilets.

Why all those buttons? It's an experience you need to have to believe just how awesome it is.

Customize your bidet with the exact water temperature and jet strength of your liking. You can also adjust the position. Then start the dryer. Some toilets play nature sounds, because toilet sounds are considered gross in Japan (I mean, they're gross here, but not gross enough to need to cover with running rivers and singing birds). And oh yeah, the seat is heated. Oooohhhhh yeah that seat is heated.....

If it sounds like overkill then you obviously haven't tried it. It's awesome, you just don't know it yet.

(...to be continued with more goodies later...)