“From ancient rituals to modern fetishes: Orgies and sexual practices in Japan through the centuries”
Japan is a world filled with samurai, graceful courtesans, traditional ceremonies and clothing. However, behind the idealized façade hid a much more complex and sometimes shocking reality, especially regarding sex life. In this article we will look at what sex was like in Japan and what its cultural characteristics were, including orgies and other forms of sexual practices.
In Japanese culture, sex is not considered sinful or unclean. On the contrary, according to Shintoism, sexual relations can be part of spiritual growth. The ancient Japanese believed that in order to achieve spiritual harmony, one must first improve physical health. Conscious sex helps you better understand your body and learn to control it. In traditional Japanese society, it was important to bring a woman to orgasm, which was considered the highest value. A man who has several partners and changes them was perceived as one who receives a “magic substance” that contributes to his well-being and virtue.
Secret pleasures of aristocrats
In feudal Japan, social status played an important role in intimate relationships. Aristocrats often practiced polygamy, having many wives and mistresses. Aristocratic women, on the other hand, could only have one husband. Sexual relations were strictly regulated by social norms: young people from the lower classes were free to engage in sexual relations, while young people from the upper class were bound by numerous restrictions.
Samurai orgies: “the way of the youth”
Samurai followed the code of “bushido” – the way of the warrior, which included many rules, including those related to intimate life. According to the concept of “shudo” (or “wakashudo” – the way of the young man), samurai took young men as lovers, believing that such relationships strengthened the brotherhood of war. These connections continued until the young man became a samurai. Such relationships were often accompanied by group sexual activity among samurai and their students.
Monastic fun: secrets of temples
Buddhist monks in Japan, especially in some sects, did not always adhere to the vow of celibacy. Monks were known to frequently engage in sexual relations with their young assistants, a practice known as nanshoku. Moreover, some monks, such as Ikkyu Sojun, openly expressed their opinion that following a vow of celibacy may be a waste of time. In some monasteries, real orgies were organized, where monks and their servants participated.
Huts for Love: Peasant Freedom
Peasant youth had more freedom in intimate relationships than representatives of the nobility. They could have sex without special restrictions in special “huts for young people.” Such relationships could continue until the girl became pregnant, after which the young people got married. Collective sexual acts often took place in these huts, where several couples could participate at the same time.
Homosexual pleasures in the military ranks
Homosexual relationships were quite common in feudal Japan. In the army, among samurai and in monasteries, homosexual relations were common and not condemned. Same-sex relationships were considered even more spiritual than heterosexual relationships because sex with a woman was believed to “spiritually drain” the man. Group homosexual practices were not uncommon, especially among monks and warriors.
Ritual orgies in Shinto shrines
Sex was an important part of Japanese mythology and religion. In Shintoism, sex was seen as an integral part of the process of creating the world. The ancient deities, Izanami and Izanagi, were considered to be the creators of Japan through sexual union. Ritual orgies were common in the culture, symbolizing fertility and connection with deities.
Spiritual enlightenment through bodily pleasures
The Tachikawa-ryu sect of Buddhism argued that sex is the path to spiritual enlightenment. Coitus was seen as a way to separate from individuality and approach spiritual awakening. Sexual pleasure was considered a good thing, even if it was not considered part of procreation. As part of this movement, collective sexual ceremonies and rituals reminiscent of orgies were also carried out.
Prostitutes of the Hierarchy: Courtesans and Yujo
Prostitution in feudal Japan had its own hierarchy. High-class prostitutes, known as oiran, were well trained and could entertain clients not only with sex, but also with conversation, music, and dancing. They occupied a high position in society, but their lives were far from ideal. The Oiran often became prostitutes against their will, they were forced to work long hours in poor conditions, and their training was grueling. Brothels also hosted group sex events for wealthy clients.
“Willow City” Beyond the Walls: Brothels of the Hideyoshi Era
Due to frequent quarrels and murders in brothels, back in 1589, under the reign of shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a walled brothel was created next to the palace. It was called Yanagimachi – “Willow City” – as the willow was considered a symbol of prostitution. In 1602 it was moved away from the palace, and in 1635 it received a new name – Shimabara.
Secrets of Yoshiwara: In the Heart of the Red Light District
When the capital moved from Kyoto to Edo (present-day Tokyo), a brothel district also opened there. In 1626, the Yoshiwara district was built, surrounded by a wall and a moat with a single gate. Prostitutes, called “yujo”, lived exclusively there and could go out only in three cases: if they went to the doctor, to court, or if a client took them out to admire the cherry blossoms. They had to move barefoot.
Mass orgies often took place in these neighborhoods, attracting both local residents and visitors. Men gathered in brothels for communal entertainment, and such events often turned into large-scale sexual events. Prostitution flourished, and clients sought not only intimacy, but also social fun.
Mizuage: Rituals and secrets of the first nights of geishas
In addition to prostitutes, there were also geishas, an analogue of the Greek hetaeras. These girls knew how to play musical instruments, dance and carry on a conversation. They could have sexual relations with the client at will. The first man appeared to a geisha at the age of fifteen as a result of a ritual defloration called “mizuage”. This procedure was carried out by a particularly respected client, who paid a large sum and often became the geisha’s patron.
Although geisha were not the main participants in mass orgies, they were often present at such events as entertainment and cultural figures. Their presence added sophistication and aesthetics to the events.
Okuni and Kabuki: Erotica and Satire on Stage
The Japanese love for prostitution and art led to the emergence of kabuki theater. In 1603, a dancer named Okuni began performing daring performances in Kyoto, performing erotic and satirical scenes. Her theater became very popular and was called “kabuki” – “cheerful, extravagant.”
When Okuni was invited to the capital of Edo, she had imitators. These actresses also engaged in prostitution, which added to their popularity. Performances at the Kabuki theater often became a gathering place, where mass orgies took place after the performances. Men infatuated with actresses gathered together, and such meetings often developed into collective sexual events.
The Shogunate and Sexual Mores: New Laws of Old Japan
The craze for actresses became so strong that in 1647 the authorities banned women from playing in the kabuki theater. Then young actors got down to business, but soon homosexuals from the samurai and bureaucratic environment became their clients. As a result, in 1652, even young men were kicked out of the theaters, and now only adult men play kabuki.
How do the sexual traditions of feudal Japan shape modern culture?
Modern Japan maintains a complex attitude towards sexuality. There is a certain degree of openness towards sexual topics in society, along with strong taboos. Historical practices such as ritual orgies and homosexual relationships among samurai have created a unique cultural paradigm where sexuality can be openly discussed, but personal sexual practices often remain private.
Sexual practices and fetishes in Japan have deep roots in its historical and cultural heritage. The traditions, norms and beliefs of ancient Japan played a significant role in shaping modern sexual preferences and practices. Let’s look at how the past is connected to the present and how some practices have shaped others.
As we already mentioned, in ancient Japan sex was not considered a sinful activity. Within Shinto and Buddhism, sexuality had its place in rituals and philosophy. Conscious and harmonious sex was seen as a way to achieve physical and spiritual harmony. This attitude formed the basis for a more open and exploratory approach to sexuality.
Modern Japanese fetishes often have roots in this traditional openness to sexuality. For example, the high value placed on partner satisfaction and body exploration has had some influence on the development of practices such as shibari and kinbaku, which focus on aesthetics and emotion in an erotic context.
Tamakiri
Tamakeri is a Japanese BDSM practice in which a woman beats a man in his private parts. This practice is one of the most extreme and can involve hitting, using various objects or even special devices.
Tamakeri is perceived as a form of erotic play that allows participants to experience physical and psychological arousal. This practice requires a high level of trust and agreement between partners. In Japan, tamakeri is often depicted in the pornographic industry and is popular among a certain circle of people.
Throughout Japanese history, there have been rituals and practices associated with the exchange or use of intimate objects. For example, in ancient times amulets and objects related to sex magic and fertility were used. These practices stem from the fact that intimate objects can have special meaning. This tradition has grown into modern culture, where lingerie and other intimate objects are used to satisfy fetishes. Practices such as shitagi dorobou (buying used underwear) can be seen as an evolution of older rituals where intimate objects had sacred meaning.
Бурусера (Brusella)
Buruser is a Japanese paraphilia based on sexual attraction to the underwear and school uniforms of girls or young women. The name comes from a combination of the words burumā (ブルマー) – “harem pants” or “women’s sports pants” and sērā-fuku (セーラー服) – “sailor suit”, a traditional Japanese school uniform. Burusera stores sell used school uniforms, panties and other fetish items. Women’s underwear, especially used ones, are in great demand in Japan. Some girls make money by selling their panties, which are often accompanied by photographs of them to increase the value. Since 2004, stores can only sell panties belonging to girls over 18, but there is also an illegal market.
Шитагидоробоу (underwear thief)
Shitagidorobou is a Japanese term for thieves who steal women’s underwear from clotheslines. This type of theft is especially common in Japan. To protect against such thieves, some women use plastic curtains to hide their underwear from prying eyes. However, this does not always help, and the thefts continue. White panties are especially popular among such thieves. There have been cases where criminals, pretending to be officials, tried to force women to remove their underwear under the pretext of sanitary inspections.
Тамакери (ball kick)
Tamakeri is a Japanese form of BDSM in which men are kicked in the testicles. This type of erotica has become popular in Japanese adult films. In these videos, men are hit in the groin, but they are supposed to remain aroused. This practice is popular among women who like the idea of dominating men and among men with masochistic tendencies.
Но-пан кисса (Café without panties)
No-pan kissa, which literally means “no panty cafe,” are a unique establishment in Japan. In these cafes, waitresses wear short skirts and do not wear underwear. The floors in these establishments are often laid with mirror tiles, especially near the tables, which allows customers to look under the skirts of the waitresses.
Food and drinks in such cafes cost four times more than in ordinary places, but visitors, mostly men, are willing to pay for it. For an additional tip, you can ask the waitress to perform various tasks, for example, getting something from the top shelf or picking up a spoon that was “accidentally” dropped on the floor. At the same time, in classic no-pan kissa it is forbidden to touch the waitresses – you are only allowed to look.
The first such establishment opened in 1980 in Osaka. The no-pan kissa boom began in the mid-80s and continued until the late 90s, until several high-profile scandals involving high-ranking officials and new laws regulating the sex industry led to the closure of many such cafes.
Ньотаймори (Female body prime)
New times (literally “serving on a woman’s body”) is the Japanese practice of serving sashimi or sushi on a woman’s naked body. This tradition dates back to the samurai period in Japan and was used as a celebration after victorious battles. Today, the practice of Nyotaimori is popular in Europe, but not in Japan itself. To maintain aesthetics, the model’s private parts are usually covered with leaves.
Имекура (image club)
Imekura (Image Club) is a type of brothel in Japan where popular sexual fantasies such as “office”, “doctor’s visit” or “subway car” are fulfilled. The workers at these establishments wear appropriate costumes and provide services limited to oral sex. Imekurs became popular after the introduction of laws against harassment in the subway.
Tokudashi and Kagura (神楽)
Tokudashi is a Japanese striptease where naked girls sit on stage with their legs spread wide so that the audience can see their genitals. This dance is part of the old Shinto rite of Kagura, which includes a ritual striptease. In ancient times, this ritual symbolized the revival of light and warmth on Earth. Today this ritual has become part of the sex industry.
Waifu
Wife is a silicone doll used as a wife or girlfriend. These dolls are expensive ($6,000-$10,000) but are in great demand among the Japanese. The term “waifu” may come from the English “wife”, meaning an artificial woman for personal use.
Tentacles
Tentacles is a genre of Japanese erotica that depicts sex scenes with creatures with tentacles. This genre was made popular by Katsushika Hokusai’s The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife (1820), in which an octopus caresses a woman with its tentacles.
Today, tentacles appear frequently in hentai and manga.
Чикан (molester)
Chikan is a Japanese term for sexual harassment, especially on crowded public transport. Women on crowded trains are often victims of such harassment. To combat this phenomenon, “women only” carriages were introduced on some trains.
In some Japanese TV shows, you can see how sexual themes and fetishes become part of the gameplay. Participants may be forced to perform tasks involving nudity or other intimate aspects
Conclusion
Japanese sexuality is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the country has an excess of sex products and a green light for perverts. On the other hand, the Japanese people’s declining interest in sex. Paradoxically, these two sides are interconnected. One of the reasons for the demographic crisis in Japan is the banal lack of sex. According to research by Contex, Japanese residents rank among the lowest in the world in the frequency of sexual intercourse – an average of 37 times a year, while the global figure is about 100 times. Sexologist Kitamura Kunio notes that the number of young people who do not want to have sex is increasing. In opinion polls, sex is one of the last places on the list of priorities for young people, behind cinema, music, study, work, travel and meetings with friends.
Since childhood, Japanese people have been surrounded by intrusive sexual advertising and products. Trains and magazines are full of advertisements for sex products. This environment has a strong impact on people, forming obsessive images and fantasies. However, an overabundance of such information causes rejection and fatigue.
Why are there many lonely and complex people among the Japanese?
From a very early age, boys and girls in Japan grow up separately, even though schools are officially mixed. In reality, interaction between the sexes is minimal: due to the concentration on studies and the desire to achieve high results in exams, students have little time to interact with the opposite sex. During extracurricular activities, boys and girls choose different clubs and sections, and on weekends they spend time separately: boys meet with each other, and girls meet with each other.
This separation continues until university, where interaction between the sexes finally begins. However, by this time many young people have little experience communicating with each other. Japanese men often have difficulty establishing relationships with women, which can be attributed to a lack of practical experience and the influence of didactic relationship video games.
As for women, they begin to communicate with men at the university, where short-term and casual romances occur. When women start working, they are again faced with short-term affairs, but many of them do not strive for long-term relationships. The reason is that combining career and family is extremely difficult in Japan. After the birth of their first child, many women are forced to leave work, which makes career and family life almost incompatible.
Men, in turn, are afraid of responsibility for the financial and social burden of family life, which leads to a refusal to start a family. This leads to high levels of sexual frustration, despite having short-term affairs and consuming pornography. Japan is one of the world’s largest porn producers, even though Japanese people have less sex than most other countries. Sexual needs remain, but there is no desire to create long-term relationships and families.
Additionally, Japanese society is characterized by strong control and restriction of social interactions. People often act according to instructions from bosses or parents, without the space to discuss or challenge different ideas. Social interactions are highly structured: there are defined roles, such as between an employee and a boss, making it difficult to develop relationships and friendships, especially with a potential sexual partner. The biological side of sex is satisfied primarily through fantasy in manga, hentai and prostitution, and although sex in Japan is not taboo and widely available, the social aspects of its practice remain complex.
In Japan, social relationships often do not begin in the usual way as in Western countries. People rarely get into relationships for the sake of relationships. Most marriages are arranged as children born out of wedlock are not accepted. This leads to many people maintaining their virginity until marriage.
Celibacy syndrome, or sekkusu shinai shokogun, is a phenomenon in which a significant portion of young people remain virgins or are not interested in sex. “Herbivorous males” are young males who are not interested in sex, prefer to take care of themselves and stay close to their mothers.
This lack of meaningful interaction between men and women creates sexual frustration and ultimately leads to frustration and unconventional solutions such as the use of sex toys and virtual technologies. Japan faces unique social and cultural challenges in relationships and sexuality, which explain its demographic instability and difficulty in creating and maintaining family ties.