Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Radical rumpus

”The ruling Liberal Democratic Party said it has received 3,500 reports of alleged ‘gender-free’ activities that were deemed problematic.

According to the LDP’s Web site, schools have had fifth-graders of both sexes share the same sleeping quarters on trips and conducted sex education classes using dolls with sex organs, drawing complaints for being too radical. The Tokyo government also claimed teachers had male and female students undergo medical checkups together.”

Part of a recent Japan Times article documenting the on going hoo-ha over the term ‘gender-free’ and the policy’s alleged excesses.

Whether young students sharing the same room for sleeping or medical checkups should be deemed radical or not is certainly debatable. Dolls with sex organs however are a different story altogether.

These previously posted and genuine educational dolls are certainly nothing if not revolutionary.

sex dolls

Both for their anatomical and chest hair design.

japanese sex dolls

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Kamen chameleon

Toymaker Bandai has set the world of men in their 30s and 40s alight with news of the imminent release of a Kamen Rider belt, the fashion item practically identical to the one sported by the 1970s superhero; a device that whilst not only easy on the eyes, also doubles as a transforming mechanism — changing our man into an all-conquering defender of justice.

kamen rider

Hoping to cash in on a nostalgia boom of sorts, Bandai is shamelessly targeting men who were children when the programme first aired, a price tag of a whopping 31,500 yen (150 pound) amply proving this.

kamen rider belt

Yet whilst seemingly a bit on the pricey side, the belt does have a windmill-like contraption built into the front, which when pushed whizzes around quite quickly. And as if this wasn’t enough, it also changes colour too, dazzling onlookers with its red, blue and white lights. Or at least pale blue and orange anyway.

kamen rider belt

Bandai initially plans to produce around 10,000 of the belts, with hopes for more should sales warrant it. Plus with the product accommodating those from a relatively svelte waist of 85 cm, to a gut-busting-and-geek-accommodating 110 cm, sales are expected to be swift.

kamen rider geek

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Condom connoisseurs

With condom sales currently sluggish at best, contraceptive manufacturers are continually looking for ways to increase interest in their product; novelty items especially being a popular choice when it comes to tempting would-be wooers.

However with Japan once again coming last in the most recent ‘how often are you getting it?’ survey, condom makers are faced with a very stiff challenge indeed, the 2005 study showing that the average Japanese only finds time for a bit of a fumble 45 times a year. A number that makes even Singaporeans seem sex mad, although their second to last figure of 73 sexual sorties is still way behind the top placed Greeks Olympian tally of 138.

Still, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, hopes in the industry are high, prompting one company to release the rather playful chocolate themed effort below. A product that provides the chance of a little extra excitement during break time.

kitkat condoms

And fear not those after something a bit more savoury, as amongst other items, online retailer Rakuten is offering an, erm, chicken ramen flavoured option.

japanese noodles
condoms

flavoured condoms
ramen

Just make sure you leave home with the right one.

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Monkey (not so) magic

“The biggest reason it failed was because of a lack of promotion. That, and it was a bit grotesque, with scenes featuring humans being devoured by dinosaurs and giant bugs.”

Movie critic Mutsuo Sato attempting to explain why King Kong hasn’t been an especially big hit in Japan.

Considering that the country is home to the likes of Godzilla and tentacle porn, Sato-san’s latter point is perhaps a little suspect. However as far as promotion — or indeed the lack of it — goes, he appears to be spot on.

‘Low-key’ and ‘on the cheap’ being polite criticism for some of the advertising efforts on show.

king kong japan