Kotaku East East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am. Prev Next View All

Very important update! Maybe you were thinking, "Hey, what happened to that vagina boat?" Well, good news: The vagina boat finally set sail.

Warning: This article has content some readers might find objectionable.

The heck is the vagina boat, you say! Last summer, Kotaku reported that a Japanese artist named Rokudenashiko was crowdfunding her dream of making a kayak that was shaped like her vagina. She was successful in raising more than enough cash to bring the vagina boat to life.


But why vaginas? Rokudenashiko's art aims to breakdown taboos about female gentilia in Japan. Typically, female privates are discreetly referred to as "asoko" ("down there"), while the more descriptive "manko" ("pussy") is seen as far more vulgar.


Meanwhile, there are a tons of playful words for "penis" bandied about by kids and adults alike. Rokudenashiko says she also wants vaginas to be as "fun" and "pop" in Japan, too.

Initially, Rokudenashiko hoped to row her vessel across Lake Geneva. She ended up rowing in the Tama River, between Tokyo and Kanagawa.


As noted on Japanese women's site Messy, the artist's "Man Boat" ("man" is short for "manko" or "pussy") has recently gone on display at the Shinjuku Ganka Gallery in Tokyo.

『まんことあそぼう！ よいこの科学まん個展』只今、新宿でビラビラと開催中！ [Messy]

Photos: ろくでなし子

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


Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.