Chuugi sometimes called kusobera (lit. shit spatula), was a special type of stick used by the Japanese people from ancient times, however no longer in use. The use of this stick was primarily to clean the bottom after going to the toilet and was a predecessor of modern toilet paper. The word chuugi is made up of the kanji compound for skewer (籌) and tree (木) which gives it the meaning of "wooden skewer". Chuugi were associated with their function as they have been found in excavations of toiletry remains. It is also believed that chuugi have been portrayed in paintings on scrolls from the end of the 12th century. One such painting depicts a child wearing high heeled geta

Geta (footwear)

Geta are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resemble both clogs and flip-flops. They are a kind of sandal with an elevated wooden base held onto the foot with a fabric thong to keep the foot well above the ground. They are worn with traditional Japanese clothing such as kimono or yukata,...

 in the process of defecating, bracing and holding a chuugi in his hand. It is believed that one of the benefits of using a chuugi, is if the person defecated vigorously then they would not mess up the toilet. However, in the case of accidentally making a mess the chuugi could then be used to correct this.

External links

• 岡本顕實『鴻臚館』さわらび社
• 浦辺登『太宰府天満宮の定遠館』弦書房、2009年、ISBN 978-4-86329-026-6
• 森弘子『太宰府発見』海鳥社、2003年、ISBN 4-87415-422-0