Mamamia Team Thursday 4 October 2012 12:21pm

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Now that everyone in the western world with a vagina has read 50 Shades of Grey: what’s next? What to do with all that pent up…..interest?

One Japanese bar has an idea, come and talk about masturbation over a glass of wine. Hors d’oeuvres with a side of which-is-your-favourite vibrator, anyone?

Women living in Tokyo have embraced frank and fearless conversation about women’s masturbation and opened up a dedicated “love and sex bar.”

At Love Joule, which opened its doors in July, you won’t hear many customers making polite small talk about which Emmys actresses had too much stuff injected into their faces or whether ankle boots are the new high heels (they do appears to be).

Instead, these women are talking about ‘nights in with the girls.’

And rather than displaying displaying bottles of liquor, the shelves behind Love Joule’s bar counter are decorated with sex toys. Fifty of them in an array of colours.

The bar’s proprietor, Megumi Nakagawa, says having vibrators in the place of bottles of alcohol gives women the confidence. She says they’re more likely to discuss their solo intimate behaviour – and what turns them on.

This from the Tokyo Reporter:

“Once they take a seat, customers are able to experience a pleasant place in which they can openly discuss masturbation,” says Nakagawa. “Since most people view female masturbation as something of a mystery or taboo, it is not a usual topic at typical bars.”

Nakagawa describes the atmosphere at Bar Joule as “fashionable and sexy in a different kind of space — perfect for girls-only discussions or a date.”

Love Joule’s frequent clientele includes women from the local commercial sex industry and adult video actresses.

Love Joule’s bar, with shelves displaying sex toys

According to Japanese pop culture news blog Arama They Didn’t, Love Joule has arrived in the midst of evolving perceptions of female masturbation within the country.

Over the past 5-10 years, Japanese women have felt increasingly comfortable about discussing this highly personal subject. The website reports:

“Traditionally, whenever a female patient would come in with a problem like having a sex toy get stuck, hospital staff would look at them coldly,” Dr. Ikuko Ikeshita of Ikeshita Ladies’ Clinic told Japanese web magazine ZakZak. “Now people realize that it’s just something that happens.”

Dr. Ikeshita says that over the past few years, there has been a movement to do away with the stigma surrounding female masturbation in Japan, pointing to the increase in websites discussing female sexuality and stores selling female sex goods.”

Don’t you hate it when a sex toy gets stuck? Awkward!

At least talking about it won’t be a problem any longer for the patrons of this bar.

Is creating a dedicated public space for female sex talk a step toward breaking down taboos? Or does it only reinforce the notion that this genre of conversation should be strictly conducted in situations  removed from the general public?

If all this sex talk has sparked your interest – you can check out our range of sex toys on Mamamia Shopping…

Lelo- Alia - $149.95 on Mamamia Shopping

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