School Bathroom In Japan

KANAZAWA -- Despite Western-style toilets becoming a common sight in Japanese households, nearly half of bathroom facilities at elementary and junior high schools nationwide are still traditional. Bathroom stalls in Japan are fully private (wall from roof to floor). Most bathrooms are reasonably clean with the exception of bathrooms at some parks, beaches and other remote locations.

The school children of Japan sweep and mop their classrooms, do dusting, clean hallways, staircases, doors and windows, and even the bathrooms in many schools. However, elementary school students do not have bathroom cleaning chores and are allocated these tasks when they are older. In Japan, the concept of unisex bathrooms is not limited to trendy cafes or progressive workplaces; it has made its way into schools as well.

In a country where innovation permeates everyday life, it's no surprise that Japanese schools have taken a bold step towards gender inclusivity in their facilities. Gone are the days of segregated bathroom spaces - now, students can embrace a sense of. In Japan, however, cleaning one's own classroom and school is a part of their school education.

Students as young as first graders clean and maintain their classrooms, serve lunch to their classmates and even clean the toilets! Nearly 70% of the toilets in public elementary and junior high schools across the country are Western-style commodes, an education ministry survey has found. Believe it or not, in Japan, students are the ones cleaning their own schools! There's a long tradition in Japan of having students take responsibility for keeping their schools clean.

"School is not just for learning from a book," explains Michael Auslin, a former English teacher in Japan. Using restrooms in different countries can be intimidating. Let's take a look at the proper way to go about your business while in Japan.

This Japanese drive to maintain cleanliness is a concept introduced during their early school years. According to Bright Vibes, the o-soji (cleaning), as it is called, is tradition in Japanese schools. Making the children clean their schoolrooms and restrooms has nothing to do with lack of manpower.

Despite those numbers, when the survey asked why kids were reluctant to use their schools' bathrooms (and allowed multiple responses), only 9.1 percent said it was because of Japanese-style toilets, and Japan Toilet Labo urges schools to take steps to comprehensively increase the quality and atmosphere of their restroom facilities.