Prior to a recent visit to Japan, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel saw the United States as a country that, despite having its faults and “areas for improvement,” was “pretty buttoned up,” compared to the rest of the world. That opinion changed following a few days in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Transparent toilets in Yoyogi-Fukamachi Mini Park
Jimmy Kimmel Praises Japan’s Restrooms
“After traveling to Japan, I realize that this place, this USA we’re always chanting about, is a filthy and disgusting country,” said the comic during his opening monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live! “We were in Japan for seven days. Not only did I not encounter a single dirty bathroom, the bathrooms in Tokyo and Kyoto are cleaner than our operating rooms here.
“Everywhere you go, the bathrooms are clean,” continued Kimmel. “They don’t smell bad. They have those toilets that wash you from the inside out. And not just in the hotel: restaurants, bars, truck stops. I went to two truck stops, I swear to god the bathrooms were cleaner than Jennifer Garner’s teeth. Beautiful. And it’s not just the bathrooms. There’s no litter. People carry their own trash.”
Japan’s ‘Outstanding Cleanliness’
Japan’s reputation for cleanliness is well-known around the globe. In recent years, much has been made of Japanese supporters tidying up stadiums at the soccer and rugby world cups, with the players doing likewise in the dressing rooms. Tourists visiting here regularly comment on how clean it is and are also often fascinated by the advanced features in the restrooms. “Outstanding cleanliness” was one of the reasons given by Condé Nast Traveler magazine for visiting Japan. Last year, readers of the publication voted it as the “Best Country in the World.”
Kimmel didn’t go that far, but he was certainly impressed by what he saw here. “It’s like the whole country is Disneyland, and we’re living in Six Flags,” said the host of this year’s Academy Awards. “I’ve been home 36 hours and I’ve never felt dirtier. We are like hogs compared to the Japanese. I can’t imagine what they must think of us. Oh, the garbage people, yes, the Americans, garbage.”
