Many visitors to Japan come home with stories about the wonders of the Japanese toilet. The Japanese have put much effort into creating the perfect toilet — although they can be very difficult for the uninitiated to figure out and have left more than a few travelers baffled in the bathroom!

If the idea of a technologically advanced toilet sounds a bit far-fetched, however, you might want to read on to find out how modern technology can work wonders on the lowly toilet for your bathroom remodeling project.

Low-flow toilets

Low-flow toilets have been on the market for some time, but the new toilets available today are far superior to the original models. Toto is a leading Japanese company that manufactures technologically-advanced bathroom products. The Toto Drake Close Coupled Toilet is a six litre toilet with a G-Max technology flush. Similar to a commercial flush this technology provides a powerful, quiet flush every time, making this model one of the best flushing toilets on the market.

In our environmentally-conscious world, it’s a real water saver.

Bidets

Bidets have long been popular in Europe but are only just starting to enter the market here. If you have the space you can have a separate bidet if you wish, or you can buy a toilet that has a bidet feature. For example the Toto Drake Toilet mentioned above comes complete with a SoftClose seat — meaning a seat that closes itself softly without banging— and an option to upgrade and add a bidet seat. With this option you not only get a comfortable, heated seat, you also get a soft, soothing, aerated stream of warm water for personal cleansing. Activated by remote control, the bidet wand retracts completely when not in use.

The bidet feature fits on some Toto toilets, the Drake in particular, by replacing the standard seat. It’s easy to install and eliminates the need to purchase and plumb-in a separate bidet.

Self-cleaning toilets

Newer technology is also providing antibacterial glazing to toilets to inhibit the growth of germs and kill bacteria. Some Toto toilets, for example, feature Sanigloss — a special coating on the inside and outside of the porcelain to keep the bowl clean. Some Toto bidet seats also come equipped with an automated air deodorizer that quickly eliminates any toilet odor.

Really high-tech toilets

One of the more recent additions to the Toto line is the NeoRest, a remote-controlled and environmentally friendly, bidet/toilet that greets a visitor by automatically opening and closing its lid. The NeoRest’s Cyclone Siphon Jet flushing system flushes both effectively and quietly, because, as the company literature itself says, “toilets should be seen and not heard.”

This new toilet carries a hefty price tag though, so may not be in the average bathroom remodelling budget.

Talk to your plumbing contractor to find out how to make the new technology work in your bathroom remodeling project. A good contractor will have all the latest information and good advice on what features give the best bang for your buck.