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NSFW: Japan's $7 Million Sex Museum Sure Is Silly

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Whether it's North America, Europe, or Asia, sex museums dot the globe. But how many of them can claim Superman sex or phallic nunchaku?

Warning: This article contains content that some readers might find offensive. Others might find it amusing.

Enter the Ureshino Sightseeing House of Hidden Treasures. Located in the city of Ureshino in Saga Prefecture, this is a most unusual sex museum, or "hihoukan" (秘宝館) in Japanese. And that's saying something because hihoukan are, as a rule of thumb, pretty odd!

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Many of these types of sex museums were built in the 1970s and 80s in hot springs resort towns. They're from a simpler time and seem aimed at adult couples, ages 18 and up. As Japan Deep points out, this hihoukan also has a Shinto shrine, with an enshrined nude wax figure—the first of its kind in Japan.

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The Ureshino Sightseeing House of Hidden Treasures was erected in 1983—a period of Japanese prosperity and excess. As noted by Japan Deep, a sign out front boasts that this hihoukan uses "the best in the latest electronics technology" for this "sex wonderland." The construction costs were 500 million yen (US$5.1 million), while the items on display cost another 200 million yen (US$2 million). All this, of course, was over thirty years ago.

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Here's a look at some of the exhibits, courtesy of YouTube user Keioh19.

By the 1990s, fewer people began visiting these establishments as Japanese society's values changed. The country's subculture, however, found appeal in the museum's kitsch appeal. These museums now seem a bit dated for some—relics from a bygone time. More and more of them have closed in the past few years.

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And next spring, on March 31, the Ureshino Sightseeing House of Hidden Treasures is closing its doors, helping to mark the end of a sexy, if not somewhat goofy, era.

【佐賀県】現存する九州唯一の秘宝館「嬉野観光秘宝館」[Japan Deep]

嬉野観光秘宝館 [オフィシャルサイト]

You can see the full, unedited clips in the following links: Harem, Marilyn, Aladdin, Dragon, Spinning, Hanabi, and Superman.

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To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft.

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