85% of women surveyed feel their sex education was inadequate

Inadequate sex education emerged as a significant issue, with 85% of women feeling that their sex education was insufficient. The top sources of learning were schools (22%), books, magazines, and manga (17%), and online resources such as forums, websites (16%).

Women are open to using sex toys, but not sure where to begin

While 60% of respondents are open to using sex toys, only 55% have used them, and just 41% have made a purchase. The main reason cited for not using them is a lack of understanding (28%). This suggests that while women are receptive to the concept, practical barriers exist, such as embarrassment in buying sex toys (19%) or uncertainty about where to find them (11%). Interestingly, the survey revealed that 17% of respondents refrained from using sex toys due to satisfaction with their sex life, despite over half of them never experiencing an orgasm. While sexual satisfaction isn't solely defined by orgasms, this finding could indicate a lack of sex-positive, pleasure-based education in schools, contrary to prevalent methods promoting shame or fear. Respondents who do use sex toys to maintain intimacy with their partners are 20-30% more likely to consider sexual health as important compared to those who do not use them.

Finding love at love hotels

With pre-marital intercourse commonplace (75% of respondents are open to this behaviour), close to 50% of singles choose to have sex in hotels. Within this group, love hotels in particular (21%) were more popular than hotels/guesthouses. Married or cohabiting couples were more comfortable with sexual experiences at home. The tendency to use love hotels should not be confused with the willingness to use or pay for sexual services, as 70% of individuals were not open to this concept.

70% of respondents view sexual wellness as vital to their health

70% of the respondents believed that sexual wellness is a crucial aspect of their overall health/well-being and in maintaining their relationships with their partners. 60% thought that sexual intercourse was significant in their lives, particularly during their 20s and 30s. Despite these positive attitudes, challenges remain. Respondents identified fatigue (12%) and poor mental health (11%) as the primary factors negatively affecting their sex lives.

These findings highlight the importance of building women-centric technology, creating safe and comfortable spaces for women to learn about pleasure principles, and the need for concerted efforts to bridge the gap between sex education and empowerment. LELO’s mission is to offer the experience of ecstasy without shame. Through our efforts to educate and liberate, we want to advocate for self-love as self-care, championing the fact that sexual fulfilment transcends gender, orientation, race and age.

Survey conducted in May 2023 by fermata, on behalf of LELO Asia. A total of 353 Japanese women over the age of 18 took part. Illustrations by: Kimiaki Yaegashi