Press Releases
From Bathroom to Dictionary
Japanese bathing culture has reached a remarkable linguistic milestone: The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) officially included the product name “Washlet” in its publication in 2025. Coined by TOTO, the Japanese expert in exclusive bathroom products and bidet toilets, it is now among the brand names that have evolved beyond their original purpose to become part of the vernacular.
WASHLET introduced a new understanding of comfort, hygiene and bathroom culture when it was launched in 1980. Derived from the English expression “Let’s Wash”, the name gets to the heart of the product: gentle warm-water cleansing after using the toilet. Including features like the warm-water spray, heated seat, dryer and other automated hygiene technologies, this innovative sanitary product evolved to become synonymous with high-tech Japanese toilets.
Spreading Japanese hygiene habits around the world
Being included in the Oxford English Dictionary is a special linguistic distinction. New words are only considered after achieving a certain level of cultural relevance and appearing in published sources over an extended period of time. This development is far more than just a dictionary entry – it represents the influence that the Japanese concept of hygiene has in the world today.
The Japanese online news magazine Japan Today reported how significant the OED entry is for TOTO. Taro Muroi, Executive Officer at TOTO Ltd., proudly explains: “This is a case of a trademark becoming accepted as a proper noun.” He effectively summed up what makes this step so remarkable: a brand name is now considered a universally understood word.
TOTO has sold over 70 million WASHLET world-wide
Bidet toilets have been part of everyday life in Japan for many years now. Most homes in the country have them. Demand is also constantly growing in Europe, driven by a growing awareness of hygiene, a desire for greater comfort and the need for age-appropriate bathroom designs. Japan is also especially on trend at the moment, boosting people’s interest in the country’s technologies, aesthetics and domestic culture.
Link to definition
