Description

During Japan’s period of rapid economic growth, Western technologies were actively introduced into toilet design, as in automobiles and home appliances, while products were adapted to Japanese lifestyles. As industrial and domestic water use increased and water shortages became a serious issue, water-saving toilets incorporating overseas technology began to spread.
Ina Seito, which had manufactured toilets since shortly after World War II, entered a technical partnership with Sweden’s Ifo company in 1974 and began producing the Cascadina, a water-saving, noise-reducing Western-style toilet adapted to Japanese specifications. The ceramic components were manufactured by Ina Seito, while the internal mechanisms utilized Ifo’s technology.
At a time when typical flushing volumes ranged from 12 to 15 liters, Cascadina achieved effective flushing with just 5 liters—comparable to modern water-saving toilets—while also featuring a distinctive Nordic-inspired design.