Japan’s Leading Love Doll Maker Bids Fans a Heartfelt Farewell

Japan’s Leading Love Doll Maker Closes Down and Bids Fans a Heartfelt Farewell.

It’s nice to believe that in this world, the supply of love is endless and eternal, born in the hearts of those who have found someone to care about. However, the supply of love dolls is limited and will soon become even smaller, with the sudden announcement by Orient Industry, Japan’s most prominent and prestigious love doll maker, that it is closing down.

Headquartered in Tokyo’s Asakusa ward, Orient Industry was founded by Hideo Tsuchiya, who originally worked for a shipping company. After that, he briefly worked in the mizu-shobai industry – a broad term for adult entertainment businesses such as hostess bars and strip clubs and erotic massage parlors – until a former colleague who worked for a shipping company invited him to work at an adult toy store in Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward.

“In those days, [love dolls] didn’t feel good because they were made of metal and vinyl,” Tsuchiya recalls, which prompted him to found his own love doll company, Orient Industry, in 1977. He experimented with softer materials, and in 1977, Orient Industry’s first product, a love doll called the “Bisho” (meaning “subtle smile”), was released, priced at 38,000 yen. By comparison, at the time in Japan, the average starting annual salary for four-year college graduates was 97,000 yen, meaning that the Bisho cost nearly five months of white-collar workers’ wages.

Still, it was a commercial success, and over time, Orient Industry gained a reputation for producing high-quality silicone designs, and even opened a gallery/showroom for its products in Tokyo’s Ueno district. But now, Orient Industry’s 47-year history is reaching its climax, which came suddenly and will be followed by a peaceful rest.

On August 21, the company posted a statement on its official website, saying: “This is unexpected, but our founder Hideo Tsuchiya, who has led our company Orient Industry for many years, has decided to retire and prioritize his health. We would like to take this moment to express our sincere gratitude to all our customers. Considering the health condition of our owner and out of respect for his wishes, the company has decided to cease operations. If you can keep in your heart the time when we were able to be a part of your life, and the times when we walked the same path remain in your memories, we will be very happy.”

Some may argue that this is an overly flowery way of saying, “Hey, thank you for buying our dolls,” but remember that this is Japan, where customers should always be treated as if they are valued and respected by the company. There’s no doubt that this is the solid foundation on which Orient Industry has built its business, but that doesn’t mean the company doesn’t care about its customers. In a 2015 interview, Tsuchiya said his company’s goals include providing comfort to widows or married couples when the wife, due to physical ailments or other reasons, was unable to have intercourse.

Tsuchiya acknowledged that while the mizu-shobai industry is large in Japan, some men with no other outlet for their urges may feel uneasy about paying another person for such a service. As well as being a showroom for the company’s products in Ueno, it also houses a consultation desk for interested but inexperienced customers looking for accurate information about love dolls from an unbiased source.

With all this in mind, it’s perhaps not so surprising that in the announcement of Orient Industry’s closure, it continues, “We wish you all the best, continued health and happiness.” No specific information has been provided about Tsuchiya’s health, but in a 2015 interview he stated his age as 70, meaning he has either turned or will turn 80 this year, so it is possible he suffers from some specific ailment.

Orient Industry has already stopped accepting orders for new silicone parts for the head-and-body mistress dolls. Its Ueno showroom will close on September 20, and the factory, along with all remaining business operations, will close on October 20.