Just when I thought I knew everything about Japanese toilets, I came to Hokkaido. Boy, do I have a lot to learn.
The first thing different about Hokkaido toilets is their location in the house -- in the genkan! Yep.
When you walk into someone's house here, there is sure to be a door to the toilet right there in the entryway, before you have a chance to even step into the house. "Ojama shimasu! Toire onegai shimasu!" (I'm here, may I use your toilet?) No, it's not for the casual passerby who needs to use the toilet. It's for a different reason, which I will explain in a moment.