However, often, this notion is based on racial stereotypes. It can also stem from pure laziness on the part of the penis-haver.
I’ve had my own troubles and frustrations with finding condoms that fit in Japan, from improperly labelled packaging, to Japan just not accommodating the upper (or lower) ends of the girth scale (which, to be fair, most countries don’t).
So, in an attempt to educate and help people, whether you’re a penis-haver, or a penis-enjoyer, I’ve tried to put together some information on the subject that I’ve come across in my own delvings into how to find condoms that fit in Japan. Hopefully this will eliminate the whole “I’m too big for condoms here” nonsense, or at least give penis-enjoyers more confidence to call bullshit if someone tries to use that excuse.
Measuring
First of all, a couple of things about how to measure one’s penis. Ideally fabric measuring tape is best, but in a pinch you can use a piece of string, and measure the amount used against a ruler.
Length: The penis should be measured along the top, from the base to the tip. Do not push into the fat pad at the base of the penis. Yes, Bone Pressed Length is a valid measurement, and is the standard used in scientific studies, but when it comes to condoms, Non-Bone Pressed Length is the measurement to use. Having said that, length won’t matter as much as width for condoms, though it’s worth keeping in mind if one is at the extreme ends of the scale.
Width: The all-important one for condoms. Measure the circumference of your penis by measuring around the thickest part of the penis, or take multiple measurements along the shaft and take the average of them.
Sizing
Now that we have the measurement of the penis, we can start talking about condom sizes. For the most part, condoms are designed with width in mind, as how tight or loose a condom is will affect how easy or hard it is for it to slip off, or how likely it is to break during use.
Internationally, condoms are sized by something called Nominal Width, which refers to the width of the condom when laid flat. This ends up being basically equal to half of the circumference. So a condom with a 50mm nominal width would have a circumference of around 100mm when filled. But this doesn’t mean it will fit a 100mm circumference penis. In general, latex should stretch up to roughly 18% to help the condom not slip off as easily. So our 50mm condom would fit a 118mm circumference penis snugly.
Figuring out Nominal Width
Just quickly for those who might not know their nominal width.
Centimetres(cm): Multiply your girth by 4.5
Inches(in): Multiply your girth by 11.5.
Both these will produce your nominal width in millimeters(mm). At this point, you might need to try a few different ones at +/- a few mm to find what fits you best.
Japanese Sizes
So, you know your size overseas, but you’re in Japan now, and everything seems oddly small, if the measurement is listed on the box at all. A lot of the time they only put down Small(S), Medium(M), Large(L) or X-Large(XL or LL). The reason for the sizes seeming smaller is that Japanese condoms are sized with different measurements. The diameter is used, rather than nominal width. Remember our 50mm condom from earlier? In Japan it would be labelled as 37mm. So, how do we know what size we need in Japan?
Nominal Width to JP Size
To figure out what size condoms you need in Japan, start with the nominal width of your favourite condom. Multiply that by 2.36 (to account for the 18% stretch), and divide the result by 3.14, and that should give you your approximate Japanese size in millimeters. You might want to consider reducing the number by a millimeter or two for snugness, but it might depend on the brand as well.
As a formula it looks like this:
JP Size = ((NW x 2.36) / 3.14)
Alternatively, if you don’t know your nominal width, take your girth in mm, divide it by 3.14 to get your JP size in mm.
Be aware that this is still just a rough estimation to get you in the right ballpark. You might need to try a few mm up or down in size to find one that fits best.
JP Measurements and Sizes
As mentioned before, oftentimes, the exact mm measurement is not listed on the packaging, and only a letter sizing is listed. The sizes cover a general range that can vary from maker to maker.
Below is a rough guide as to the correlation between Japanese manufacturers’ labels and their approximate Japanese mm sizing.
In terms of Nominal Width, these work out to roughly:
S: 36-41mm
M: 42.5-48mm
L: 49-53mm
XL: 54.5-61mm
Measurements - Words of Warning
A few words of warning: some of the XL condoms have a bulbous shape (ie thicker at the tip), and are marketed based on the measurement at the bulb. For example, the ever popular Mega Big Boy (the elephant one) from Okamoto, proudly lists 46mm on the packaging. However, this refers to the width at the tip, while the width at the base is only 38mm, which technically only puts it in the L range.
Which to buy/where to buy/etc
Donkihoutei (aka Donki) is a popular destination for a lot of condom buyers, and generally has a good range of condom options. Alternatively, most pharmacies/drug stores carry some variety of condoms as well.
Still off the charts?
If you are, in fact, girthier than can fit into most Japanese condoms, then, if you’re a traveller, your best bet is to stock up in your home country and bring what you need. For locals, there are some options online, though delivery can take a few days. A couple brands to look for are My.Size and Mister Size. Both have great ranges, and go up to 72mm and 69mm nominal width respectively. Makeup JP’s site has both, and while stock comes from Europe, all prices are in Yen, and are shipped via Sagawa. I’ve used them before without any issues.
Latex Allergies
For those with latex allergies, there are some options. The Sagami Original line (0.01, 0.02, and 0.03) are all polyurethane, as are Okamoto’s, Jex’s and Fuji Latex’s 0.02 lines. Basically if it makes a claim to be only 0.01-0.03mm in thickness, it’s probably polyurethane. SKYN condoms are polyisoprene, so are potentially another option. Most of these come in the M-L ranges. If you need larger than that, you’ll need to buy online, and get something like Trojan’s Naturalamb (69mm nominal width).
Conclusion
As you can hopefully see now, the large majority of penis-havers can buy correctly sized condoms in Japan, and even if you can’t buy them in stores, there are online options. So there is no excuse to not have them on hand. Penis-enjoyers, you’re welcome.
Appendix
General measurements for major Japanese condom makers, and some example brand names
Okamoto ( Boy Series, Groove)
S: 31mm (Smart Boy aka Eagle)
M: 33mm
L: 37mm (Super Big Boy aka Horse)
XL: 46mm (Mega Big Boy aka Elephant) WARNING: All XL from Okamoto are Bulbous Types, so therefore have a narrower base than advertised. Mega Big Boy / Elephant has a 38mm base
Fuji Latex (Just Fit, SKYN)
S: 31mm (Just Fit has a 29mm base)
M: 36mm (SKYN)
L: 38mm (SKYN, Just Fit has a 34mm base)
XL: 42mm (Just Fit has a 37mm base)
Japan Medical (Rich)
SS: 29mm
S: 32mm
M: 33-36mm
XL: 44mm (Largest size available in stores in Japan)
Sagami (Sagami Original)
S: 27mm
M: 36mm
L: 38mm
Jex (Zone, Glamorous Butterfly)
M: 31-33mm
L: 36-37mm
Sources