The Era of Shower Toilets as Disaster Prevention Supplies

Do you use a shower toilet on a regular basis?

I have been a devoted user for many years, and now I cannot imagine life without one. I originally started using it because I suffered from hemorrhoids, but once I experienced the comfort, I could never go back.

There are three people in my family, but actually, I am the only one who uses the shower toilet. My wife and son do not seem to have a particular need for it, but for me, it has become an indispensable part of my daily life.

Recently, I participated in an online workshop to learn about long-term stays abroad. The topic was living abroad for about a month, and as I listened to the explanation, I became interested, thinking, "This sounds interesting."

However, there was one thing I absolutely had to confirm.

"Are there shower toilets in the hotels?"

The answer that came back from the instructor was,

"No!"

It was a very straightforward answer.

At that moment, my enthusiasm for a long-term stay abroad rapidly faded. Of course, there may be places where they are installed depending on the tourist destination or hotel. However, having heard that "basically, they are not there," I thought, "In that case, I am more comfortable staying in Japan."

That is how important the shower toilet has become in my life.

However, there is one major problem here.

That is during a disaster.

When I visited Yamagata Prefecture the other day, I was surprised that I could not use my Suica at Tsuruoka Station, but on the other hand, I realized that convenience weakens disaster prevention capabilities. Even convenient services may become unavailable.

Similarly, shower toilets may become unusable during a disaster. If a power outage occurs, many shower toilets will stop functioning. This is even more true if the water supply is cut off.

In general, this might not be such a big problem. In my home, my wife says, "I wouldn't be troubled even if I couldn't use it." However, for me, it is a major problem. When something I use as a matter of course every day suddenly becomes unavailable, it causes not only physical discomfort but also significant mental stress.

When people think of disaster prevention, many think of food, drinking water, portable toilets, flashlights, and so on. Of course, those are extremely important. However, isn't the truly necessary disaster prevention measure to prepare according to your own lifestyle and physical constitution?

As people get older, some people cannot live without medicine. Some people cannot live without glasses. Some people need hearing aids or canes. And for me, the shower toilet is one of those things.

So, I purchased a battery-powered portable shower toilet that can be used during a disaster. I just ordered it, so it hasn't arrived yet, but I have high expectations for it as a preparation for emergencies.

Disaster prevention supplies vary from person to person. While preparations common to the whole family are important, finding and preparing things that are necessary only for yourself is just as important.

If there is anyone among you who, like me, regularly uses a shower toilet, please think about it for a moment. What will you do when a major disaster occurs and power outages or water outages continue?

Just adding one portable shower toilet to your disaster kit will make a big difference in your peace of mind.

Reviewing things that are essential to your life, not just emergency food and drinking water, is also a part of disaster prevention measures.

Shower toilet users, let's make sure to put a portable shower toilet in our disaster kits. It is by no means a luxury item, but an important preparation to protect the quality of life during a disaster.