Toto x Sleeper – Omotenashi: The Culture of Japanese Hospitality
To celebrate the launch of Toto’s new Washlet RW, Sleeper hosted an exclusive panel with the bathroom supplier at its London showroom in October. ‘Omotenashi: The Culture of Japanese Hospitality’ explored the heritage of hospitality in Japan, as well as the influence its design philosophy is having on hotel interiors around the world.
Joining Sleeper’s Assistant Editor Ben Thomas on stage were Irini Vladimirova, Lead Designer at 1508 London, who has recently worked on The Lanesborough Club and the Raffles Residences at the Old War Office in London; and Floyd Case, Project and Branding Manager, Europe and Asia, at Toto.
Vladimirova kicked things off with a presentation on her first-time experiences in Japan following a visit with Toto earlier this year, explaining what sets the destination apart: “There is a significant difference between hospitality in Japan and other regions,” she noted. “The attention to detail is truly elevated and the people are some of the greatest hosts in the world.”
Case agreed, noting that everyday life in the country is invisibly glued together with a common mindset, centred on caring for others rather than expectation: “It’s what makes visiting Japan feel like you have left the world you know and been transported to another more beautifully refined place,” he reflected. “Products like the washlet have evolved within this cultural DNA – the fact that the seat warms, it pre-cleans itself and the lid lifts to greet guests are not just features, they are mindful actions of hospitality ready to accept your use.”
The panellists went on to discuss the advantages of the new Toto washlet, including its water-saving performance and hygiene qualities such as the eWater+ and Clean Case technology, before Vladimirova evaluated Japan’s global influence from a design perspective: “Almost every design strategy oriented around contemporary and minimal is somehow linked to the Japanese stylistic,” she mused. “Everything from the way dishes are presented to the feel of the space says restrained elegance. In a way, there is something timeless that is very appealing to designers around the world.”
