# Embarrassing Bathroom Noises? Not in Japan! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 7, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024 "2004-10-07T14:49:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/1 "2004-10-07T14:49:35Z")
TOKYO (AP) – When Naoko Ito uses a public bathroom, she cringes in embarrassment at the thought that other patrons can hear the sounds coming from her stall. That’s when she turns to the “Sound Princess.” Ito, like a rapidly growing number of Japanese women, presses a device installed in public toilets to simulate the sound of water flushing - and mask the cruder noises of nature. “I usually use the flushing sound when I go to a public bathroom, such as at a department store, because I get a bit self-conscious,” said Ito, a 60-year-old waitress. —And now hundreds of thousands of AP readers are thinking about Naoko Ito loudly farting. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/2 "2004-10-07T14:51:29Z")
After reading this, I’m not sure if I’ll ever hear a toilet flushing in a public bathroom and view it so innocently. I’ll forever be thinking, “Is that a REAL flush or a cover-up flush?” Another innocent part of my life torn to pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/3 "2004-10-07T15:09:44Z")
Some of the fancier japanese toilets have such a feature already built in. If I ever find myself in a Japanese public restroom, I’m heading for the middle stall and putting my palms against my mouth to make the longest, loudest fart noises EVER. I think there actually might be some cases of death by embarassment. Or they might just think, “Stupid Gaijin.” ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/4 "2004-10-07T15:16:33Z")
Too bad you only get the water noises. It’d be way cooler if it covered up the farting with death metal. Loud death metal. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/5 "2004-10-07T15:24:36Z")
. . . or foghorns, or dogs barking . . . ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/6 "2004-10-07T15:51:31Z")
…a loud pipe organ chord, a flock of pigeons all taking off at once… ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/7 "2004-10-07T15:55:36Z")
I think a sound-proof booth would be better. A bit more expensive, but well worth the piece of mind. I think the sound of constant flushing from the stall next to me would make me think, “Damn, did he just come from a chili cookoff or something?” ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/8 "2004-10-07T15:56:25Z")
I would love to hack it, and replace the flush sound with a yodel. ---
**Author:** ![Rock\_n\_Roach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Rock\_n\_Roach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock_n_Roach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/9 "2004-10-07T16:01:05Z")
or television theme songs… like the one from “Candid Camera” Once a friend had me turn on the water in a public restroom. Said she has trouble going in public places and the sound of the running water gets her going. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/10 "2004-10-07T16:02:44Z")
It’s not just water. I’ve encountered a couple that play bird calls, like you’re in the middle of a damn forest. Does the tea lady shit in the woods? ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/11 "2004-10-07T16:05:50Z")
I knew a woman - she’s now a successful fashion designer - who used to turn on the clothes drier when taking a piss even when she was at home on her own. The odd thing was she told us this when she came back from the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/12 "2004-10-07T16:06:21Z")
How about squealing tires and car crash noises? Huge splashes? Screaming children? Why not just bring an airhorn in there with you? That way, if there’s anyone else in the room, you can garauntee that they’ll be finished REALLY QUICKLY just by blasting that thing without warning. Or better yet, how about farting noise machine? That way you’d always have an alibi: “It wasn’t me, man. It was the machine.” They could market it as “The Fart Dog 2000.” ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/13 "2004-10-07T16:18:27Z")
I prefer the sound of horses whinnying. With perhaps the sound of a very loud campfire. ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/14 "2004-10-07T16:19:55Z")
Need this for the GF – she walks all the way to the other side of her work building when she has to go #2. Even then, she waits until she doesn’t hear anyone else in the bathroom to exit the stall. And don’t forget Oprah – when she was on jury duty here in Chicago, she “made” the other jurors sing when she went to the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/15 "2004-10-07T16:34:18Z")
Not sounds, people. We need a running commentary, preferably in Howard Cosell’s voice. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/16 "2004-10-07T16:52:53Z")
> [@hawthorne](#): > > I knew a woman who used to turn on the clothes drier when taking a piss even when she was at home on her own. Must have been hellish dragging that clothes drier with her to public restrooms. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/17 "2004-10-07T17:20:42Z")
Sheesh, and you haven’t even seen her _clothes_ (so tempted)… ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/18 "2004-10-07T17:27:25Z")
I think it would be funnier to change the sound effect to really loud farting/diarrhea noises. Are we that embarassed about our bodies? Sheesh! :rolleyes: Frankly when I’m in a bathroom stall, the only embarassment I have is when I catch myself laughing out loud at the sound of the poor neighbor who sounds like his ass is getting dynamited. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/19 "2004-10-07T17:33:56Z")
Sound machine? I’m not worried about the sound, it is the smell that concerns me. I usually take an oven into the restroom with me and bake cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024/20 "2004-10-07T17:38:52Z")
Geez, Adam, these cookies taste like ass! What do you mean those aren’t chocolate chips?! :eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embarrassing-bathroom-noises-not-in-japan/268024.md?page=2)