fetish
Passersby were shocked to see the man surrounded by women with cameras at the side of the street.
When I left England for Japan in 2011, I received a card from four schoolfriends of mine. “Keep in touch!” the girls had written. “Have a great time!” The one guy in the group had a slightly different message for me: “Enjoy the tentacle rape porn!”
While for many, Japan evokes imagery of ancient temples, plates of sushi, and Shinkansen, it is also known as the land of crazy weird sex stuff. (Tentacle erotica, by the way, is much older and, I might add, much rarer than you might think). So when we stumbled across (I know, right! I can’t remember what we were looking for in the first place, either!) a Japanese blog post about surprising sexual fetishes, we knew it was worth sharing.
“What’s your fetish? An introduction to the fetishes you won’t believe exist” runs the title of the list, compiled by 26-year-old Japanese NEET Nura Hikaru. We bring you our top three, plus a few bonus ideas for good measure.
Just when you thought it was safe to delve into the back of your boyfriend’s closet, the hizamakura is back!
Literally translated as “lap pillow,” hizamakura — cushions designed to look like the tender thighs of a woman – were a huge hit about 10 years ago and were splashed all over Western websites and magazines alongside phrases such as “weird Japan”, with many articles asking whether the country’s men were really so lacking in social skills that they were forced to buy such products. In truth, many were purchased as gag items as the trend grew, but as their popularity faded hizamakura soon became associated more with otaku nerd culture and became a much less common sight.
Reports suggest, however, that a new line of lap pillows going on sale at Tokyo’s Narita Airport are bringing the trend back and they’re selling better than ever.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Does a long line mean a sweeter deal? We compare two sweets from a Hokkaido food fair【Taste test】
Family Mart unveils new Japanese bread that elevates convenience store food to mocchiri levels
Do gohan no otomo, Japan’s traditional easy white rice toppings, work with toast?【SoraKitchen】
Waiter, there’re 100 crickets in my soup! We try make-it-yourself Cricket Ramen【Taste Test】
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Our reporter tries amemonaka, the traditional sweet from Niigata Prefecture
Is fancy drinkable yogurt better than regular yogurt for marinating chicken? 【Taste Test】
We investigate Tokyo’s “haunted” phone booth in Mizumoto Park【Haunted Tokyo】
7-Eleven Japan sells freshly baked pizzas…but are they any good?
Weekly
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Monthly
- Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
- Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Our reporter tries amemonaka, the traditional sweet from Niigata Prefecture
Is fancy drinkable yogurt better than regular yogurt for marinating chicken? 【Taste Test】
We investigate Tokyo’s “haunted” phone booth in Mizumoto Park【Haunted Tokyo】
7-Eleven Japan sells freshly baked pizzas…but are they any good?
Famous koi ponds overwhelmed with tourists throwing thousands of coins in them
Japanese manhole lid raises eyebrows with fertility god symbol that looks like… well, you know
Hayao Miyazaki comments on Chihiro’s final test scene in Spirited Away
Final Fantasy invites you to adventure in Fukushima with Fukushima Fantasy Chocobo fun[Video]
Can a downtown Tokyo super sento bathhouse beat a hotel for a one-night stay?
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
-
