Full Breakdown
TENGA Redefines Japan’s Sex-Toy Landscape
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Market-Leading Launch and Expansion
Founded in 2005, TENGA Co. introduced a line of male masturbatory aids that quickly grew into Japan’s largest company of its kind. By 2025 the firm reported consolidated sales of about 12.5 billion yen (over $77 million). Its products are now sold in convenience stores, health-beauty retailers, and online platforms, and the brand is available in 67 countries, positioning TENGA as a global reference point for sexual-wellness items.
Background & Context – Cultural Taboo and an Underground Industry
In Japan, the act of masturbation is linguistically fraught; native terms such as *ji’i* feel clinical, while borrowed words like *onani* remain embarrassing in everyday speech. Historically, adult-goods manufacturers operated without branding, often omitting manufacturer information and marketing their items as clandestine “underground” products. This lack of transparency reinforced stigma and limited public discussion of self-pleasure.
Key Figures & Groups
Koichi Matsumoto — founder and president of TENGA, former engineer, and driving force behind the company’s branding and design philosophy.
Data & Statistics
- Revenue: ? 12.5 billion yen in 2025.
- Geographic reach: Products sold in 67 countries.
- Workforce composition: Female employees constitute 45.5 % of staff, a deliberate figure for the development of the female-oriented *iroha* line.
- Product diversification: Male-focused CUP series, *iroha* vibrators for women, and the TENGA MEN’S LOUPE—a smartphone magnifier and app for at-home sperm-count testing.
Official Statements & Responses – Matsumoto’s Vision
Matsumoto explains that TENGA’s branding is intended as “a promise to society,” signaling responsibility for product quality and continual improvement. He likens the company’s ambition to Coca-Cola, noting that the beverage’s logo is globally recognized and constantly refined, a model he wishes to emulate in the sexual-wellness sector.
To move masturbation away from overt sexual imagery, TENGA deliberately avoids anatomical designs and refrains from using explicit visuals on packaging. Matsumoto argues that this approach “decouples masturbation from sex,” making the products feel more like consumer electronics than pornographic items.
Recognizing that women had been excluded from design decisions, Matsumoto created a dedicated development group staffed largely by female engineers.
He also stresses the distinction between masturbation and partnered sex, while acknowledging that the former can often lead to the latter. Consequently, TENGA is expanding its portfolio toward couples’ products and educational initiatives that promote sexual health.
Verbatim Quotes
- “At first, I often used the word ‘onani’ in our copy because I wanted to normalize it,” — Koichi Matsumoto
Why It Matters – Shifting Perceptions of Masturbation and Sexual Wellness
By popularizing the brand name “TENGA” as a euphemistic stand-in for self-pleasure, the company has helped normalize conversations around masturbation in a culture where the act is linguistically uncomfortable. The inclusion of women in product development challenges entrenched design biases and offers alternatives that prioritize user comfort. Moreover, the TENGA MEN’S LOUPE illustrates a broader commitment to reproductive health, linking sexual wellness with tangible health outcomes such as fertility awareness.