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Love Joule, Japan's First Bar Devoted To Female Masturbation, Opens In Tokyo

This bar is guaranteed to get a lot of buzz . . . if only for the battery-operated sex toys.
Love Joule, a colorful new bar in the Shibuya district Tokyo, is the first “love and sex bar dedicated to women," according to the Tokyo Reporter. What does this mean, exactly? Proprietor Megumi Nakagawa minces few words.
"Once they take a seat, customers are able to experience a pleasant place in which they can openly discuss masturbation,” she said. “Since most people view female masturbation as something of a mystery or taboo, it is not a usual topic at typical bars.”
It's hard to imagine not talking about the bar's unique theme. Behind the counter, where rows of liquor bottles would normally stand, are colorful display cases filled with dozens and dozens of different types of vibrators.
The spot is already a hit with women in the commercial sex and burgeoning adult film industry, according to its Facebook page, which sites former adult video star Nayuka Mine and model Sayo Hayakawa as customers.
Akiko Teishi, a reporter for blog Bikyamasr.com, visited the bar recently and spoke to some of its patrons.
“I go because it is a safe place and I don’t have to worry about trying to brush off men all the time," said a customer going by the name Sayama. "Add in that it is also a great place to drink and talk about what we women love to talk about, sex and guys, that’s also a big pull."
According to the blog, Ikuko Ikeshita a doctor with the Ikeshita Ladies’ Clinic, said that over the past few years, “there has been a movement to do away with the stigma surrounding female masturbation in Japan, pointing to the increase in websites discussing female sexuality and stores selling female sex goods.” Love Joule is just part of this general trend.
The sanctity of the space is preserved by a policy prohibiting single men from entering-- men are only welcome if they are accompanying a woman, according to Rocket News.
Men without a female companion will just have to wonder what's going on inside. Luckily for them, male masturbation doesn't face the same stigma.
Guys not lucky enough to secure a Love Joule invite may want to check out Koichi Matsumoto's customized toys "just for men." Since 2005, Matsumoto's company Tenga has sold more than 15 million male masturbation units worldwide, according to Salon, including 6.5 million units of his best-seller, the disposable Tenga Egg.