Dakimakura

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Dakimakura love pillow with an anime character.

A dakimakura (抱き枕?) (from daki (抱き?) "to embrace or cling" and makura (?) "pillow"), is a type of large pillow from Japan. The word is often translated in English simply as "hug pillow". In Japan, dakimakura are similar to Western orthopedic body pillows, and are commonly used by Japanese youth as "security objects".[1]

In the West, "dakimakura" is associated with a love pillow. Love pillows are a subset of dakimakura usually portraying life-size pictures of anime characters. Some pillows may portray anime characters or pornographic film actors in suggestive poses.

History

During the 1990s, dakimakura began to intertwine with otaku culture, leading to the production of pillow covers featuring printed images of bishōjo and bishonen from various anime or bishōjo games. Many of these early otaku dakimakura covers were released through Cospa, a character goods and apparel store which continues to release official dakimakura covers to this day.

Although sometimes called a Dutch wife, the original definition of this phrase is closer to the chikufujin.

Dakimakura size

A dakimakura is available in 2 main sizes, 160cm or 150cm in length with a 50cm circumference.

Prior to the mid 2000s, dakimakuras are available in one size; 160cm x 50cm, which is considered to be the authentic Japanese sized pillow. Since the late 2000s, 150cm x 50cm dakimakuras became available and increasingly popular due to shipping cost savings from being under the 2kg airmail weight limit. [2]

References

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External links

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. - An article on the release of a Japanese limited edition Xbox, which includes a Kasumi (from Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball) dakimakura.