Driers in Japan

SO for the past 2 years i've been hanging out my laundry to dry on the veranda. I'm really not looking forward to another rainy season controlling my laundry schedule and I'm not much of a fan of the nasty smell my clothes get from sitting outside in our wonderful tokyo pollution. But most people I know have said driers in Japan suck and take hours to dry your clothes.

SO my question is, do driers really take a ridiculously long time to dry your clothes and does anyone have a particular model (stand alone drier OR washer drier combo) to recommend. I'm willing to spend the money as long as I know it works decently.

Try Yodobashi cameras the new dryers are better according to Japanese friends who make my laundry when I am in Japan.

My wife has a Sharp washer/drier combo and has no complaints. She still does the hanging thing though.

My wife bought a Toshiba, not a Sharp washer/drier combo and has no complaints about it. Our refrigerator is a Sharp. My bad...

Gas laundry driers seem to take a lot less time and energy than electrical ones. Also, a seperate drier seems to be more efficient than the "washer and drier in one" type.

A lot of locals seem to simply hang them near a sunny window. Even on rainy days, the laundry gets fairly dry by the next morning as long as you keep the windows shut most of the day.

But what I always do during this season is, I hang all my laundry in my tiny room that I spend during the day, and keep my (electric) heater on. By the evening, all my laundry is crispy dry, plus the "steam" from the laundry keeps the room warm.

Many hang it close to the air-conditioner and put it on "dry (joshitsu)" mode, or simpy hang it near a "dehumidifier (joshitsu-ki)".

If you really don't mind spending money, another option is to install a "bathing-room drier(yokushitsu-kanso-ki)" in your bathroom.

The downside of washing machine type driers in Japan is that most of them can't dry laundry without getting them all wrinkled. Come June, and I usually hang them by a window, and although that would be enough, since I prefer my laundry to be crispy dry, I use the last 20 minutes to hang them in my bathing room with the bathing room drier on. I don't need to iron them. If I'm in a hurry however, I use the iron to dry anything that just came out of the washing machine.

Another thing is to be sure you put dehumidifying agents (such as Dryout of Dryup) in your closet and drawers. You don't want to have your clothes catch mold during spring and summer.

lately in North America many newspapers and magazine articles have talked about the benefits of the clotheline. It saves energy and the clothes aren't wrinkled. Some companies are now making driers that are nothing but several rods inside a cupboard with a fan. It doesn't save space or energy,but is better for the clothes. from experience--born in energy conscious Europe-- winter and rainy days are a problem. people used to dry laundry under an awning or even indoor as UCO explained so well.

I read that many of you are talking about using a washer and/or dryer. What are my chances that an apartment I rent will include one or the other or both? If they are not included with the apartment, is there typically space for them so I can purchase it myself? If so, how much do they cost? If not, how much does is cost to go to the laundromat regularly? Thanks.

Most of the apartment I've seen do not include any of the appliances, although weekly mansions will usually have everything you need. Washers range from a couple hundred dollars for a simple washer to a couple thousand dollars for a deluxe washer/drier new model. There is usually a washer room where you can measure the base to be sure a washer fits. In older apartments, the washer is outside in the balcony.

I hope this helps.

You guys will surely be amused by the following item from Canada: the Provincial Government of Ontario has just changed the law that made clothelines illegal. Now clothelines are not only legal again but in fashion. Funny thing is that in summer Ontario is hot and humid so clothes may not dry fast and in winter it is very cold so the clothes freeze solid.