Japan’s penchant for unique subcultures continues to captivate the world, with a man converting his two-story house into an unconventional private museum for sex dolls.
Located just outside Tokyo, the Yashio Hihokan, or Yashio Adult Museum, showcases the extensive collection of “love dolls” owned by a 49-year-old man named Yoshitaka Hyodo.
An Astonishing Transformation into Sex Dolls Museum
In his quest to exhibit his vast collection of sex dolls, Yoshitaka Hyodo painstakingly redesigned every room in his house, situated in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture, just outside Yashio.
The dolls, spanning various sizes, shapes, and colors, take center stage within his home. Yet, the museum also houses a diverse array of sensual objects, creating a captivating and slightly unsettling compilation of curiosities.
A Lifelong Fascination
Since childhood, Hyodo has held a deep fascination for synthetic beings. “Ever since I was a kid, cyborgs and artificial life forms have fascinated me, and now my house is a veritable treasury of such things,” he expressed. Hyodo resides alone in this unique establishment, as reported by the South China Morning Post on Thursday, September 7th.
A Growing Collection of Sex Dolls
Hyodo’s doll collection began nearly two decades ago when he stumbled upon a mannequin discarded in a trash heap. This discovery ignited his passion for dolls, resulting in a collection of approximately fifty dolls. His collection comprises sex dolls, mannequins, and even anatomical models.
“About half of my collection of love dolls were purchased, while the remainder were gifts or hand-me-downs from friends who had outgrown them due to marriage, having children, or taking care of aging parents,” explained Hyodo.
Masters of Realism
The majority of Hyodo’s sex dolls originate from Orient Industry, a Tokyo-based company that has been producing high-quality adult toys since 1977. This brand is renowning for crafting the most lifelike female bodies in the industry. However, quality comes at a price, with these dolls typically costing around 700,000 yen, equivalent to approximately 72.9 million rupiahs.
Rising Recognition
Hyodo’s name gained prominence when a sex dolls photographer captured images of him within abandoned structures and various locations. His art has been exhibited in Paris and Tokyo, and in September 2022, a documentary chronicling his life was screened in theaters throughout Japan.
Defending His Passion about Sex Dolls
In 2021, Hyodo established the “Dai Nippon Rabu Dooru To” (Great Japanese Love Doll Party) to counter Tokyo Deep Annai, a website he believed was misrepresenting Yashio City and contributing to a negative public perception. Additionally, Hyodo accused a major Japanese television network of fabricating a story about him for a documentary.
Hyodo’s home museum stands as a testament to the strange yet captivating world of sex dolls, showcasing the transformative power of passion in one’s life.