“We wanted to provide a luxury experience made affordable.”

The Japanese brand iroha is widening its product range. The original iroha collection was made up of high-end sex toys, and later, the lower-priced iroha stick and mini were added to the range. At the end of last year, the company, which is part of Tenga Ltd., introduced zen – a new product range that fits in nicely between the upper and lower price segments covered by the previous iroha products. We interviewed Tina Carter from Tenga’s advertising and PR department to learn more about the new vibrators, which are named after Japanese tea blends. Among other things, Tina also tells us how 2017 panned out for iroha.

iroha recently released a new line of vibrators called Zen. What makes this collection stand out?
Tina Carter: A lot of the feedback we received about the previous lines from the iroha brand indicated that people really, really love the brand’s Soft-Touch silicone (also known as that distinctive ‘iroha squish’!), but the entry point for these items was very high. In order to address this, we created the zen, a lower-end line within the iroha range that features this same Soft-Touch silicone and dust-proof coating, but in a battery-powered item at a lower price point.

The design of the zen features three unique colours, and the pleated shape comes from a distinctly Japanese influence – it is based on the chasen, a bamboo whisk used in the preparation of matcha, a type of powdered green tea. This is reflected in the series’ main imagery and product video, both of which include strong Japanese influence.

How do these new vibrators fit in the existing collection? Why did iroha choose to make these products?
The iroha series had previously included the low-cost iroha mini and iroha stick, and the high-end iroha and iroha+ lines. The mini and stick, while waterproof and of good quality for their price, do not feature the same Soft-Touch silicone that sets the iroha and iroha+ apart. The zen is a mid-range addition to the iroha series that includes the luxurious materials of the higher-end iroha series, but more accessibly.

Most premium products today are USB rechargeable, yet iroha opted for a battery powered solution. Is this aiming at a specific target audience?
With this particular series, we wanted to provide a luxury experience made affordable. The inevitable cost that comes with a rechargeable item can end up excluding a large portion of those interested in the item – but safety and quality shouldn’t be exclusionary. With the zen, we wanted to make a product that was luxurious and good quality, but more accessible for everyone, including beginners.

The new year is still young. When you look back at 2017, how happy are you with last year for Tenga and iroha?
2017 was a big year for TENGA Co., Ltd! To start off, we surpassed 60 million units shipped worldwide (excluding lubricants), and sales are still exponentially increasing. We also had the global launches of both the TENGA FLEX and the long-awaited FLIP ZERO EV.

TENGA USA Inc., celebrated its first anniversary – after its establishment we saw massive gains in both sales and our brand presence in the USA, which is something we hope to emulate across Europe as well.
TENGA Healthcare Inc., (THC) recently launched their first product series, the Men’s Training CUP, looking to help improve sexual quality of life for men living with ejaculation disorders.

In Japan, we also launched new lines within the TENGA and iroha brands – iroha Intimate Care produced the iroha Intimate Wash, a PH-balanced liquid soap with light, natural fragrances like jasmine and juniper, and TENGA produced an energy drink and supplement. It’s been an interesting year of expansions and growth for the company!

One of the trends in the recent past seems to be the rise of pressure wave or suction toys. Will we see a decline for the classical vibrator?
The vibrator is a classic for a reason – it’s not going anywhere. Further improvements to current technology as well as more new innovations – like the suction toys you refer to – are on the way, but one does not rule out the other. Sexual preferences are so diverse, everyone has a different favourite, and all these expansions will only mean a growing range of options – not new competitors replacing one another.

Without giving too much away, could you give us a sneak preview of what we can expect of Tenga and iroha in 2018?
We’ve got some exciting things coming up on the marketing side of things, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a bit longer to hear more about that…!
Product-wise, we are working on developing new innovations as well as expanding on some beloved classics. Long-time fans of our brand may already have some guesses as to how the FLIP ZERO line will be evolving – I can’t say much just yet, but keep your eyes open!