Self-pleasure: most do it, but people rarely discuss it. Only natural. It's not exactly dinner party conversation, is it?
Except amongst women, it is. A few Whispering Angels and beans are soon being spilt about that one piece of leg-twitching sex tech that forever altered worlds. We share this intel for the common good, because - and any medical expert will back this - it’s always been much more challenging for women to climax.
In the West certainly, the words ‘sex toy’ conjures images of everything from SATC-immortalised Rabbits to unassuming silicone teardrop shapes that those in the know will instantly understand how, and where, to apply. A world of toys is here, pulled out of sketchy backrooms and thrust into the mainstream. Even Tesco is at it, for crying out loud. With tech advancing by the day, the orgasm gap - that is, the disparity in sexual pleasure between hetero men and women - is steadily closing. If that’s not cause for fireworks, I don’t know what is.
But when it comes to men’s sex toys, it's often questioned what they need them for. The choice for men is dwarfed by the smorgasbord available for women. Lovehoney, one of the UK’s biggest adult toy retailers, lists 1052 toys online - but of this, there are just 332 in the men’s toy category.
Yet head East, and the picture couldn’t be more different. In Japan, the tables are turned and sex toys are designed for, and used overwhelmingly, by men.
Tenga is a dominant brands there, and with listings at Lovehoney, Amazon, eBay and even Selfridges until recently, is starting to make waves here in the UK too.
The story of Tenga starts in Tokyo with Koichi Matsumoto. The founder and CEO, 56, began his career as a mechanic. Stumbling upon sex toys hidden at the back of a DVD store, Matsumoto wondered why there was so much shame attached to shopping for them. Believing both the look and function of these gadgets, which reduced women to mere body parts, were just for the 1 per cent, he resolved to create something that would appeal to the other 99.
The result is Tenga’s collection of ‘cups’, the full range lined up on shelves at the company’s HQ. The oblong cups look like craft beers or novelty bowling pins, festooned in bright patterns that appeal to younger users - there’s a Keith Haring one, for instance - with the inside filled with soft ridged silicone and beads.
Some Tenga cups are single-use; others have a hinged, flippable mechanism which allows them to be cleaned. The range also includes love eggs, party barrels (a favour that won't gather dust), and a women’s range called iroha, which are among the most elegant sex toys I’ve ever seen. This being Japan, the Tenga line also extends to fashion merch, homewares and collectables of the mascot, the 'Good Smile' Tenga robot.
Tenga’s products don't look like the usual men's adult toy, and therein lies their appeal. “It was made to be a mainstream product that can sit in a convenience store, not a shady corner of a specialist shop", Matsumoto says through a translator, "It's a better-designed, and better-communicated product that doesn't make you feel shameful.”
It’s not just about flogging self-pleasure cups. Education extends to the shopfloor too. Staff at Tenga’s own shops are trained to talk sensitively to curious customers, as are those in concessions and huge stores like Don Quijote (Donki). As a shopper, you're not left to figure out what to do with a toy on your own. Tenga's reps aim to help customers get the best from their purchases. Bang for their buck, if you will.
It's an angle that's paying off in dispelling sex toy shame, as do the considered displays that can be found in typical sex shops, pharmacies and department stores - much like Durex can be found on UK shores.
This means that brand awareness, especially amongst the 20 - 30 age group, is incredibly high with some 90 per cent having heard of Tenga. But it’s not just the young guns reaching for the suction cups; older customers feel more confident shopping for the products too. Mature couples - some well into their 70s - can be found merrily picking up Tenga cups and eggs in the brand’s Akihabara shop on a weekend morning.
Great products, appealing design and a mission to bring sexual wellness to all; are there any flaws in Tenga’s offering?
There is one, and it’s a biggie - in the West, at least. Sustainability. The problem with Tenga’s single-use products, bestsellers in Japan thanks to their low price point, is that they can’t be recycled, not just because of the plastics involved, but because of the bodily fluid excreted within them. Once used and binned, the inside of disposables can grow mould. Top-tier ick.
It’s an issue that Tenga’s R&D man Kai Endo says keeps him up at night, and one that boss Matsumoto has tasked him with solving. He tells me they are looking at phasing out one-use plastic and looking at using new materials that are easier to recycle.
In the meantime, the flip designs, which can be sanitised and reused, are finding favour in Western markets where sustainability is a much bigger priority for the average Joe.
Will Tenga get a slice of the UK’s self-pleasure pie, as it has done in its home nation? Time will tell, but it’s not the only sex toy brand smartening up its men’s offering. Durex has launched a Slide & Ride sleeve, a discreet-looking tube with textures and dots on the inside that’s designed to give “the feel of a partner, whilst still having all the control to be moulded”. The waterproof design bears a strong likeness to Tenga’s cups; could this be a peek at men’s sex toy designs to come?
One thing’s for sure: the adult toy playing field is levelling up, with more options for all genders thanks to UK newcomers like Tenga. Now that’s something to get excited about.
TENGA Original Vacuum Cup
This disposable cup is ready for action from the minute you get it in your hands and can be customised by adjusting the suction element at the opposing end.
Buy now £16.99, Lovehoney
TENGA FLIP Zero Gravity White
Available in red and white, this flip sleeve takes alone time up a notch. The hinged mechanism means you can fully open the device for cleaning the intricately detailed silicone.
Buy now £119.62, Amazon
Tenga Spinner twist 03 shell
A men's adult toy that's unassuming enough to unwrap in front of the family, Tenga is the new sexual wellness sensation that's taken Japan by storm - and now has its sights set on the UK. The range is huge and promises to deliver new sensations when indulging in a spot of alone time, although this Spinner model can also be used by couples. The inner chamber is easy to clean, ready when the mood strikes next.
Buy now £24.00, Tenga
Tenga Spinner 05 Beads Shell Masturbator
This twisting device incorporates soft yet firm beads to offer new levels of sensation. The Spinner is waterproof and can be cleaned after use.
Buy now £24.37, Amazon
Iroha by Tenga Vibrator-E28929 Vibrator
Also offered in a green colourway, this sculptural toy boasts four vibration intensities and two pulse patterns. It's USB rechargeable too, so no need to fumble around for batteries.
Buy now £78.53, Amazon
