In Japanese houses and buildings, why is the light to the bathroom never on the inside? Why is it always out?

In every Japanese apartment, building, home, office, I've ever been in, why is the light to the toilet, always on the outside of the room? In she states, it is always in the room, just like every other light. In my place of work in Japan + in my friends homes + mine, the light to the bathroom is outside the door, so one can turn on the light before entering. Why?





any insight into this? My Japanese friends said they have never noticed before? They have never thought about it. Why is this a feature in Japanese homes?In Japanese houses and buildings, why is the light to the bathroom never on the inside? Why is it always out?
jorienta has all his facts all flamboozled. early japanese houses in the showa period had fire pits in the center of their home where they burned their dry sh*t for fuel. they dried there sh*t on lines with clothes pins, similarly how they dry their clothes today after they wash them... as for the light issue, it is due to the fact that the spirits of the family that still reside in the household do not want to see their living family members taking a sh*t. it is hard for spirits to see in low light.In Japanese houses and buildings, why is the light to the bathroom never on the inside? Why is it always out?
It's just a culture. Isn't it easy for finding the switches?.


And did you notice most entrance doors of house or apartment open outward? (In the states, it opens inward).


This is because Japanese take off their shoes inside of the door.





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I remeberd one thing. Historically, all the toilet was outside of the house (from Edo to early Showa era). The toilet was just a hole. If you don't notice the hole ahead of time in the night, it was very dangerous. Maybe this can be one of the reason (historical memory).


But I wonder how was the toilet in the states or UK 100-300 years ago.
You're not going to be in there forever, so usually the light's either off or on while you're in there. You turn it on as you open the door, so you can see where you're going if it's dark.





?? Is there something I'm missing?
I have no clue what you are asking?





Are you seeing the light to all the bathrooms you've been to have been on the outside or the light SWITCH to the light in the bathroom is on the outside.





I've seen the light switch on the outside all the time, but I've never been to a bathroom with the actual light on the outside.





I don't know why I can only conjecture:


I guess it has to do with historical construction reasons, it has always been. Having electrical switch inside with a wet hand might not been a good idea in the past? Beats me.





If you think about it, its really practical to have it outside, I like the idea. The first thing I do when I enter a dark restroom is find the light switch to see, but if I have it on the outside I dont have to fimble around inside.