Coming from Europe, I had only ever encountered two kinds of toilet flushes: a button directly on the tank or a cartoony-looking rope/chain hanging from above. You might think that the most surprising thing about coming to Japan would be the toilets themselves — armed with washing apparatus, heated seats, built-in sinks, and a whole ton of buttons. But I already expected all of that. Everyone talks about it! There are myriad videos on the internet explaining how to use them and showcasing how awesome they are. However, I think not many people mention the flushes — which are interesting as well. So, if you are currently stuck in a Japanese toilet and have no idea how to flush, read along, check the photos, and look for clues yourself!

Washlet control panels

So, you’ve done your business, even used the washlet function without any issues, and now you’re looking at the control panel wondering — how do I flush? What if there are no helpful pictograms, apart from kanji… Well, kanji can actually help you here! 小 means small and 大 means big — so, small flush and big flush! Sometimes, a helpful soul will add an English label to make things even easier.

Panasonic CH1401 washlet panel with an instruction label glued on
Panasonic CH1401 washlet panel with an instruction label glued on
Newer models sometimes include whirlpool / vortex pictograms alongside kanji to mark the flush buttons. The bigger the whirlpool, the bigger the flush.
Panasonic CH1602 washlet panel with whirlpool icons
Panasonic CH1602 washlet panel with whirlpool icons
It might be obvious on that picture, but when you’re sitting you might not spot the flush buttons
It might be obvious on that picture, but when you’re sitting you might not spot the flush buttons
But what if there is no buttons with 小 / 大 or whirpools? If the control panel is mounted to the bowl itself then it probably doesn’t have a flush function there.

It’s in the walls…

Your next option is to look for buttons on the walls. They could be anywhere — on the left side, right side, or even behind you. Look carefully.

Separate physical flush buttons
Separate physical flush buttons
Panasonic CH300S tiny washlet panel with only kanji
Panasonic CH300S tiny washlet panel with only kanji
This button has seen better days
This button has seen better days
Button placed on the back wall
Button placed on the back wall
Buttons come in various shapes and sizes and often include specific instructions on how to use them.
Don’t release it too soon
Don’t release it too soon
That one looks really fancy
That one looks really fancy
There could be touch-activated buttons and additional ones, like those for closing or opening the lid (so futuristic!).
Flush and lid close touch-activated button
Flush and lid close touch-activated button
If there are multiple buttons, be careful not to press the Help/Emergency one (unless you actually need help, of course).
Emergency button next to a really cool flush
Emergency button next to a really cool flush
Two other emergency buttons, do not press!
Two other emergency buttons, do not press!
Especially since flushes are sometimes hidden… Thankfully, there are helpful notes like these.
Map to the flush button
Map to the flush button
Some buttons don’t even need to be pushed or touched. Just hold your hand in front of them.
Motion-activated flush
Motion-activated flush
This one looks futuristic
This one looks futuristic
And this one looks like a ticket machine
And this one looks like a ticket machine
This one looks like a button, but it’s actually motion-activated as well
This one looks like a button, but it’s actually motion-activated as well
Sometimes they don’t expect you to touch anything at all.
Hopefully it WILL flush itself
Hopefully it WILL flush itself

Can you handle it?

Another set of flushes are handles or levers. These are integrated into the tank itself. You push it and hold as long as needed to flush everything.

Handle mounted on the piping
Handle mounted on the piping
Handle close-up
Handle close-up
Took me a while to find this one, it was completely covered by opened toilet lid!
Took me a while to find this one, it was completely covered by opened toilet lid!
This kind of handle is also used in traditional squatting toilets. Pay attention to the emergency button on the wall that isn’t a flush.
This kind of handle is also used in traditional squatting toilets. Pay attention to the emergency button on the wall that isn’t a flush.
Some are mounted on the side of the lid and can be moved in both directions. They sometimes feature 小 / 大 kanji and will flush less or more depending on the direction you rotate them.
Flush handle mounted on the side of the tank lid
Flush handle mounted on the side of the tank lid
Close up of the rotating handle
Close up of the rotating handle
Rotating the flush handle in the 大 (big flush) direction
Rotating the flush handle in the 大 (big flush) direction

You can never have too much backup

Sometimes you can notice a backup button, added just in case something goes wrong. How thoughtful!

Separate physical and motion-activated flush buttons
Separate physical and motion-activated flush buttons
Wall-mounted flush button and a tiny backup button on the flush mechanism
Wall-mounted flush button and a tiny backup button on the flush mechanism

Final frontier

Now you are ready to face the most curious flush of them all.

Do you see it?
Do you see it?
Yes, that’s a foot-operated floor flush button! Brilliant!
So clever! But it took a while to find…
So clever! But it took a while to find…
Now, you are ready to face the world — well, maybe not the whole world, but certainly the world of Japanese flushes!