Public Restrooms and Wet Hands

Public Restrooms and Wet Hands

Most public restrooms in Japan are modern, fastidiously clean, and sport washlets on every toilet. But you’ll rarely find a paper towel in a public facility. Outside of higher end hotels, disposable, single-use paper towels are rarely seen in public restrooms. While many public restrooms have high-tech air dryers, this isn’t always the case. Even when it is, in times of airborne pathogen pandemics, air dryers are disabled.

Yet everyone washes their hands after doing their personal “business,” so how do they deal with their dripping wet fingers? The solution is everyone carries a small hand towel with them wherever they go. Think of it as an accessory, like a watch or earrings. It’s odd for westerners that this is so common, but in Japan, having a small hand towel with you is like having your house keys—it’s a no brainer.

As a guest to this country, be sure to pack a couple of these with you before you leave home. Bring them in a purse or stash them in a jacket pocket. You’ll need them to dry your hands more often than you realize.

If you forgot to bring any, don’t worry, brand new handkerchiefs and hand towels can be found in nearly every major train station or shopping mall. Even the nearly 57,000 convenience stores that dot the country have options available.