A Tokyo store showcases Tenga’s unique hourglass-shaped sex toys, aiming to destigmatize adult products. Initially viewed with embarrassment, customers find the store’s chic atmosphere reminiscent of a cosmetics boutique. Tenga, evolving from single-use male toys to a diverse intimacy brand, emphasizes positive sexual health discussions. The company also targets the elderly, addressing misconceptions about sexual desire and offering products to support couples and individuals facing challenges. Tenga’s founder advocates for normalizing conversations around sexuality in Japan.
In a vibrant store located in Tokyo, a fascinating display of ‘sex toys’ shaped like hourglasses glides along a conveyor belt. Tenga, a Japanese manufacturer, is on a mission to eliminate the stigma typically associated with adult products.
At first glance, this store, bustling with couples and tourists, exudes an air of elegance and color that belies its offerings, considered to be some of the most popular male sex toys in Japan.
The store’s debut this year took many by surprise, including 45-year-old Masafumi Kawasaki, who admitted feeling a bit embarrassed due to his preconceived notions about the brand. However, he noted that the ambiance resembles that of a cosmetics boutique.
Originally known for its single-use male masturbation devices, Tenga has transformed into a vast intimacy empire, providing products for all genders, family planning solutions, and support for those experiencing sexual health challenges.
The company has established itself as a significant player in Japan’s adult product market, which was valued at approximately 209 billion yen (1.3 billion euros) in 2016, according to the Yano Research Institute.
Tenga’s reach extends to numerous countries, with nearly half of its annual revenue of 60 million euros – a figure that has doubled in just six years – generated from international sales.
– Redefining Sexual Pleasure –
Koichi Matsumoto, the 57-year-old founder, shares with AFP his long-standing goal of destigmatizing sexual pleasure. Prior to Tenga, sex toys often bore explicit designs that perpetuated secrecy surrounding them.
These items were frequently relegated to obscure sections of stores, their packaging often featuring images of pornographic actresses and, in some cases, inappropriate illustrations of young girls.
“They conveyed a message that promoted lewdness and obscenity, suggesting masturbation was something shameful,” he explains. “I found this viewpoint degrading; it undermines a fundamental human desire.”
Motivated to craft a more ‘positive’ and ‘safe’ experience, Matsumoto transitioned from a car sales career to revolutionize the sex toy industry, aiming to bring it into the mainstream.
His products, which his team describes as ‘artistic’, consciously avoid depicting artificial representations of female anatomy, which Matsumoto believes objectifies women.
Despite efforts to collaborate with designers on various items, including t-shirts, stereotypes persist. Mei Kamiya, a 26-year-old employee at the new Tenga Land store in Tokyo’s fashionable Harajuku district, notes that Tenga products are often misconstrued as tools for ‘lonely men seeking to replace women’.
However, she asserts that masturbation is ‘normal for everyone’, while other products, such as vibrators, can enhance intimacy between partners.
– Catering to the Elderly –
Japan, like many developed nations, grapples with a declining birth rate. Yet, Matsumoto counters the notion that Tenga products deter sexual activity.
Tenga offers sperm analysis kits for couples aspiring to conceive, alongside aids for individuals facing erectile dysfunction.
Some medical professionals view these products as ‘an option’ for addressing sexual health issues, according to Mikiya Nakatsuka, a reproductive medicine professor at Okayama University.
In Japan, discussions around sexuality, including menstruation and contraception, are often avoided, largely due to conservative sexual education in schools, he notes.
He believes that Tenga’s elegance and medical practicality can help normalize these vital conversations.
Tenga is now focusing on the senior demographic, many of whom feel ‘automatically deemed too old to experience sexual desire’, based on the company’s research.
Some seniors live with adult children, which limits their intimate opportunities. For older women, there has historically been a stigma around being sexually open or assertive, Matsumoto states.
“We encourage them to view it as a positive and healthy aspect of life.”