TOKYO — Summer time often begins the poolside buzz about man boobs and their possible need for coverage and support, yet a truly good bra for men has not appeared on the shelves. Leave it to Japan to innovate. Rakuten.com is the largest online Japanese retailer and offers everything from CDs to DVDs, pet supplies to sweets, home décor to cameras – and men’s and women’s clothing, including a popular bra line for cross-dressing men.
It’s only been a few short weeks that the site has offered the new lingerie options but, according to Reuters, it’s become one of the best-selling items in the virtual mega-mall’s “Wishroom” shop.
With more than 300 men’s black, white and pink bras already sold for about $30 each, the Wishroom includes men’s panties, as well as lingerie specifically designed for women.
Masayuki Tsuchigya is a representative for the Wishroom and modeled the men’s bra for Reuters, explaining that “I like this tight feeling. It feels good,” while he demonstrated its ability to blend beneath his clothing.
The popularity of the men’s bra has surprised many, including Wishroom executive director Akiko Okunomiya, who told Reuters that “I think more and more men are becoming interested in bras. Since we launched the men’s bra, we’ve been getting feedback from customers saying ‘wow, we’ve been waiting for this for a long time!’”
Unsurprisingly, not everybody thinks the idea of a man wearing a bra – however discreet – is a good idea. More than 8,000 members of Mixi.jp, Japan’s most popular social networking site, gave the topic much heat, if not as much light, during a single evening’s chatter.
