Hiking Slang
Toilet related hiking slang in English and Japanese
WARNING
If you are easily offended or disgusted by discussions around bodily functions, this article may not be your cup of tea. Go back to the mountain pages and pretend like you never saw this. For those who choose to continue, remember this was your own choice.
The idyllic outdoors
The birds are singing, the fresh breeze is flowing through your hair, and you are more relaxed than you have felt in months. #TheNatureAntidote is in full effect… that is until you have a sudden need to use the bathroom. AND NOTHING MATTERS ANYMORE! You just have to get to a toilet FAST! There are times when you are on the trail and none of the peace and beauty around you will compare to the comfort and privacy of your porcelain throne. One of the biggest inconveniences of leaving the modern-day world is a lack of toilets. And what’s worse, you have to let your hiking buddies know when you need to leave the trail to do your thing. Unsurprisingly, hikers have developed a variety of toilet related slang and terminology.
Crouching
So how do you tell your friends that you need to go? Well, if you are in Japan that will depend on your gender; women go to “pick flowers” (お花摘み O Hana Tsumi) and men go to “shoot a pheasant”(キジ打ち Kijiuchi). Why? Because if you are picking flowers or hunting, you need to squat down. As cute as these sayings are, we think the gender thing is a bit outdated. Any human being should be able to pick flowers or hunt, regardless of what is or isn’t between their legs. So regardless of your gender, pick the term that you like. Or come up with a new one. How about “I’m going to search for unicorns!” Or “I need to do some squats in the woods… this hike isn’t hard enough for me!”
お花摘み (O Hana Tsumi): Go to the bathroom off trail. Literally “pick flowers”.
キジ打ち (Kijiuchi): Go to the bathroom off trail. Literally “shoot a pheasant”.
Standing
With the arrival of the FUD though, picking flowers might be a thing of the past. At least if you’re just going for a sprinkle. What is an FUD you ask?
Female
Urination
Device
Yes Ladies, we can do it standing up now. It is so much easier, and there is less chance of freezing if you’re out in the snow. Due to the popularity of FUDs (because what girl doesn’t want to know what it feels like to pee standing up?! - Men get it so easy!), there are a lot of varieties to choose from now. We can’t help but love the so bad that they are awesome names; Tinklebelle, GoGirl, and Pstyle are all popular makes.
FUD:Female Urination Device. A device that allows women to wee standing up.
British English
Although this is not only used for hiking, you might hear a Brit talk about “spending a penny” and wonder what on earth they are talking about. Spending a penny means going for a wee. The term leads back to a time when it cost a penny to use a public restroom. Strangely it is still a very popular term today.
Spend a penny (British): Go for a wee. “Do you mind waiting a moment while I go to spend a penny?”
Number 2
What about if you want to do more than a tinkle though? If you are going to “brown blaze” don’t forget your “mountain money,” and take your “trail trowel” to dig a good “cat hole”. But if you are close to a water source, it might be better to “pack it out”.
Brown Blaze: To leave the trail to poop in the woods.
Mountain Money: Toilet paper.
Cat Hole: A hole that hikers dig to poop in.
Trail trowel: Trowel to dig cat holes.
Pack Out: Packing your used toilet paper (usually in a ziplock or bag) and taking it back with you.
Portable Toilet: In Japan it is common for hikers to carry portable toilets. This is similar to packing out, but with chemicals involved. You can buy packs of disposable toilets from most mountaineering stores.
Bio Toilets
Toilets that break down excrement using a special balance of chemicals. Toilet paper would disrupt the chemical balance and therefore needs to be packed out or disposed of in a trashcan that is sometimes provided. These toilets are often found on Japanese hiking trails, so don't be caught without a ziplocks or similar in order to pack out your tissue or you could find yourself in a very embarassing situation.
Tummy Troubles
Tummy problems are not unusual on a long hike or trek. You could end up with contaminated food, maybe you drank some water that wasn’t properly filtered, or maybe your stomach has decided to rebel against all the freeze-dried meals and snacks you have been eating.
ピッピー(pippi) / 腹ピッピー (onaka pippi): To have a runny tummy
Japanese Trails
So now you know the lingo to use on the trail. Luckily, there are toilets available on most Japanese trails. Having said that, you will often be expected to pack your tissue out or put it in a trash can, as most of the facilities are bio. If you are ever planning to hike on less established paths, make sure you are prepared. And even on popular trails, it’s best to be ready for “emergency” situations as you never know when ピッピー could strike!
If you have heard any other hiking slang or you and your friends use something different, we would love to know. Comment on our Instagram or tag us on twitter.
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