Valley of the dolls
A tribute to Orient Industry
Dear readers, as you know, once in a while I like to explore Japan’s “naughty bits.” In the past I covered the sex industry including hostess clubs, soaplands, and pink (soft porn) cinema.
Today, while reading Tokyo Kinky’s latest newsletter, I learned that Orient Industry, Japan’s (in)famous maker of customized, premium silicone sex dolls, is closing after being in the business for 47 years.
While I’m not particularly interested in that kind of kink, I’ve always admired Orient Industry’s craftsmanship. So here I’m reprinting Tokyo Kinky’s story.
Be warned that this post includes some nudity, albeit of the artificial, rubbery kind.
Orient Industry has become legendary, its hyper-realistic products have featured in books and documentaries and are admired by all. If you have never seen an Orient Industry doll in person, be assured that photos don’t do them justice.
The company’s closure comes down to age and health. The founder and CEO, Tsuchiya Hideo, is now well past retirement age and understandably wants to rest up for the time he has left. And it seems he has no one suitable to whom he can pass on the business.
It’s surely not a question of demand and declining sales. Love dolls enjoyed increased sales during the Covid pandemic, according to media reports in 2022.
Orient Industry released its first doll in 1977. Made of urethane and PVC, Hohoemi was really simple: a head, breasts, and a waist with a hole.
The company quickly progressed to making full-body dolls. Everything changed with the release of the Candy Girl series in 1997, which were dolls entirely made from silicone.
In the 2000s, Orient Industry began to attract more mainstream attention from the media and photographers like Tsuzuki Kyoichi and Shinoyama Kishin. Its love dolls gained recognition not only as adult toys but also as works of art and incredible craftsmanship.
The gallery/showroom in Ueno, which first opened in 1982, will close on September 20 and the studio/factory will cease producing dolls on October 10.
Due to the amount of time required to make its incredibly detailed dolls, the company is no long accepting orders to new parts and bodies, no doubt because it wants to allow enough time to fulfill existing orders before it closes.
For many years, Orient Industry silicone dolls have been available internationally via Kanojo Toys (through an exclusive arrangement). Among our personal favorites were the Yasuragi and Ange dolls.
In 2017, Orient Industry’s 40th-anniversary exhibition at a Shibuya art gallery attracted 10,000 visitors. My wife and I went and were blown away by both the dolls life-like appearance and the nonchalance with which the visitors groped and fondled the dolls. Here are a few photos I took in that occasion (minus the fondling)
With a headline and thumbnail like that, there was no way I could resist reading this post! As I am sure you will be asked by many, to what extent did you conduct "primary research" as background? Hopefully it was all hearsay! Just kidding. To each his own.
This is very sinful, Amigo. What would the saints in Vatican say to this?