Could this Japanese human washing machine save me from the tedium of cleaning myself? | Emma Beddington

The capsule, which costs £280,000, is ideal for those who find daily grooming exhausting. Imagine if it brushed your teeth for you, too ...

Still trying and failing to plan a trip to Japan, I have at least found one absolute must: a pilgrimage to see the Future Human Washing Machine. Following its unveiling last year, this JPY 60m (£280,000) capsule, in which a person is washed, thanks to the magic of microbubbles, and returned to the world in 15 minutes without moving a muscle is now on show in electronics shops in Tokyo.

It’s essentially a hi-tech car wash, but for humans: the dream. As my best friend says, “I have never needed anything more.” The two of us bond, frequently, over how unnecessarily exhausting getting clean is. She has long Covid; I’m just lazy and find getting clean such a drag I need a few minutes scrolling on the bathroom floor to recover (if this worries anyone, no, I’m not deficient in anything except moral fibre).