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Peeing on the side of the road in Japan

RJMang

Cruising
Jul 19, 2013
20
4
When cycling in Western Europe, one can relieve themselves along the side of the road and not cause much fuss. In the US, it's about the same as long as one uses a bit of discretion. But what about Japan? Is this a societal no-no, or is it generally OK?
 
Same as the US and if you are over 65 years old then there are no rules.

But NB the population density is unlike that of the US. On the other hand, urban Japan has chain coffee shops, suburban and other Japan has convenience stores that more often than not have "facilities" open to the public, and the drive-in stores along miles and miles of dreary strip development have their own "facilities" too.
 
There are as many washrooms in this country as there are covenience stores. You can always find one even in a very unexpected places like on a hiking trail. Still for older Japanese men there is no better place to pee than a side of the road. Some of them even like to face the road :)
 
It's 'de rigeur' to relieve yourself within the neutral zone of any ride. I'd say that extends, in Japan, to pretty much anywhere you can whip it out. Bear in mind, the whole reason people remove their shoes is to prevent tracking 'sh*t' into the house.
 
Wait, I didn't read your post right. So scratch this one and continue on as if I hadn't said anything.
 
I don't know about your prefecture, but in Nagano its definitely OK to piss almost anywhere aside from peoples yards and business establishments if you are facing away from onlookers.
Don't pee in or around rice paddy's or into running water or gutters.
 
I don't know about your prefecture, but in Nagano its definitely OK to piss almost anywhere aside from peoples yards and business establishments if you are facing away from onlookers.
Don't pee in or around rice paddy's or into running water or gutters.

...or in the money-offering collection boxes in front of shrines...
 
When I first came here I remember seeing a guy freely having a slash on the street in Sapporo. Was pretty disgusting to see it. I have seen the same in Shibuya, but that was late at night so I guess he was pretty drunk.

I have often wondered whether it's possible to pee whilst actually cycling.
 
Wolfman, you obviously haven't spent any time searching YouTube yet!
 
When I first came here I remember seeing a guy freely having a slash on the street in Sapporo. Was pretty disgusting to see it. I have seen the same in Shibuya, but that was late at night so I guess he was pretty drunk.

I have often wondered whether it's possible to pee whilst actually cycling.

Yep - done it a few times in races. pull to the side of the peloton (either on a longish straight downhill or straight road and have a team mate push you along by the saddle) roll up one leg of your shorts and then pee in to the gutter - make sure if you are being pushed along the rider is on the oppersite of where you are peeing.
 
I have often wondered whether it's possible to pee whilst actually cycling.
I have a couple of boxes of Foley catheters (don't ask why) if you want to experiment with stealth peeing...
 
The other trick is to use and old inner tube cut to length as a drain.
 
First few months in Japan I saw a sarariman walking in the middle of the road peeing as he walked at midday. The old lady dropping her pants at a busy intersection and squatting beat that though. I pee in a toilet if I can, but don't mind whipping it out on the river runs if nobody can see me...No cycle path toilets up my way unless you trek down onto some of the baseball ground porter loos. Sometimes if I'm over hydrated I pee every ten minutes. Only pee'd once in a race. Motegi 100km. Up the top near the hair pin...walked off to the side...
 
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