Almost all toilets in Japan are well maintained and kept spotlessly clean to ensure the utmost comfort for all travelers to Japan. On the whole, toilets are free to use and toilet paper is always provided.
Thereof, is it OK to use tissues as toilet paper?
The truth is that tissues, a paper towel, wet wipes, or scraps of fabric will all do the job just fine (with varying degrees of comfort). But—and this is very important—don’t flush any alternative toilet paper down the toilet.
Herein, what if you have no toilet paper? Paper towels and tissues are probably the closest analogs to conventional toilet paper (and, frankly, ones that you may have already considered). But if you do decide to trade these paper products for your usual toilet paper, it’s important to know that you shouldn’t flush paper towels or tissues after using them.