Warning: This document contains links to websites featuring sexually explicit material. Do not click them if you are offended by such content.
- General questions
- What is JAV?
- What makes JAV special?
- What's up with the censorship?
- What is the JAV thread?
- How can I access the JAV thread?
- [The JAV thread has reached its bump limit! We need a new one!] (#the-jav-thread-has-reached-its-bump-limit-we-need-a-new-one)
- [Where can I find an archive of the JAV thread?] (#where-can-i-find-an-archive-of-the-jav-thread)
- [I don't speak Japanese. What are some useful terms I should know?] (#i-dont-speak-japanese-what-are-some-useful-terms-i-should-know)
- Obtaining JAV
- Getting information
- What is a product code?
- [How can I look for and find out about JAV films?] (#how-can-i-look-for-and-find-out-about-jav-films)
- [Where can I find information about JAV actresses?] (#where-can-i-find-information-about-jav-actresses)
- [How can I get high resolution cover images?] (#how-can-i-get-high-resolution-cover-images)
JAV is short for Japanese Adult Video. Adult Video is just another term for porn. So JAV is Japanese porn.
JAV is generally a lot more diverse than western porn. Spanning a wide variety of genres, there are very few niches it doesn't fill. There is often a large focus on the scenario in which the action takes place. There are films designed to look like a television show, others have actresses dress up and act as your favourite anime characters. Many are set in all sorts of public places, and feature policewomen, teachers, secretaries, spies, detectives, shrine maidens, and ninja. You'll find all manner of bizarre storylines. JAV can be incredibly innovative, and you're sure to find something you like.
As part of the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century, to align with western moral values, the Emperor outlawed materials considered "obscene". Although the western world has moved on since then, this law remains in force. And so, any depiction of genitals in JAV must be censored. This is usually done by means of mosaic (pixellation). Although it can be a nuisance, JAV fans usually become used to it after enough time. The laws regarding censorship have also spurred pornographers to find ways of circumventing these laws, which have led to innovations such as tentacle porn. So it's not all bad.
Some uncensored JAV is available for purchase online. This is possible because the distribution company is registered outside of Japan, as are the servers.
If you're reading this, you probably already have a good idea. The JAV thread is a thread on the /jp/ board of the [4chan] (https://www.4chan.org/) imageboard. Other boards have threads specific to certain aspects of JAV, whereas the /jp/ JAV thread is about JAV in general. Discussion usually revolves around new releases, actresses, studios, the state of the industry, and current affairs. But anything related to JAV that's worth discussing is fine to bring up.
You can always access the latest JAV thread by visiting:
https://4chan.org/jp/jav
Relax. There's no need to panic. The thread is perfectly usable until it is archived. A new thread should not be created until the old thread has reached page 10.
By convention, the thread title should be:
JAV Thread #<number>
The first post should contain a link to the previous thread and a link to the latest version of this FAQ. You may also want to link to the new thread from the previous thread if it has not yet been archived.
The /jp/ board is archived at:
Use the search facility to find what you're looking for.
An extensive list is available at:
https://4ch.be/jp/thread/14367529/#14374862
Most JAV can be purchased from R18.com. This is an English language version of the DMM.R18 website. The website has a vast catalogue featuring titles from decades past to the latest releases. Be warned that R18.com does use Silverlight DRM, meaning if you download your purchases (you can also stream them) you can only watch them using their own video player software. Even so, for many titles, this is the only way you can obtain an HD version.
Subtitled JAV can be purchased from ZENRA. This is a subscription-only website, but they do offer a mixture of censored and uncensored JAV. Their releases are also DRM-free.
Uncensored JAV can also be purchased from HeyDouga and some of the other websites in the D2Pass network. These are DRM-free.
If you want a physical copy of a JAV film, they are generally available for purchase from Amazon.co.jp. Amazon.co.jp does not ship adult goods outside of Japan, so you would need to use a third-party forwarding service.
To save yourself the hassle, you may alternatively wish to order from SquarePlus, which ships internationally and accepts special order requests.
Some releases are available as limited editions exclusive to particular retailers, so you might want to shop around. Limited editions can come packaged with autographed instant photos of the actress, or even their "used" panties!
If you are ever in Tokyo, be sure to make a trip to Akihabara, which has many JAV retailers. They are a fantastic place for getting great deals or rare gems, and frequently hold events where you can meet JAV actresses.
JAV films are usually assigned a code by the production company to uniquely identify it. This is the product code, sometimes known as a JAV code. It usually consists of a few letters (which identify the maker), followed by a hyphen, followed by a few numbers, though there is the occasional exception to this. It is rare for two JAV films to share the same product code, meaning they are a useful way to refer to a particular film concisely. The product code is usually printed on the side of the DVD cover, sometimes on the back of the cover or on the disc itself.
If you're looking for information about a specific film, the best website for this is usually JAVLibrary. You can enter the product code into the search box to quickly find the film you're looking for. By creating an account, you gain access to a powerful combination search feature that allows you to find titles based on specific criteria. You may encounter error messages when attempting to create an account. Using a simpler password usually solves this problem; you can make your password more complex later.
Alternatively, the aforementioned R18.com and its Japanese counterpart DMM.R18 also have powerful search engines.
Sougouwiki is also a valuable resource for finding out about JAV films, as well as particular studios. Although it is all in Japanese, you may be able to discern some information via an automatic translation tool.
The Minnano-AV website has listings for many JAV actresses, featuring personal information as well as lists of films they have starred in.
Many popular JAV actresses also have detailed articles on the Japanese Wikipedia, which is generally rather reliable.
Both of these websites may require use of automatic translation if you do not speak Japanese.
It is sometimes desirable to download cover images of particular JAV films. However, many websites only make use of the images from the DMM.R18 website, which are rather small. A good source of high resolution versions is Amazon.co.jp.
First, find the product page on Amazon.co.jp. Then, click on the cover image. A pop-up appears. Right-click the image in the pop-up and select 'Copy Image Location' (actual wording may differ by browser).
Paste the URL you copied somewhere where you can edit it. It should look something like:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/9161i4FrLnL._SL1500_.jpg
Remove the portion with the 'SL' between the two dots at the end so it looks like:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/9161i4FrLnL.jpg
Pasting this URL into your web browser's address bar should give you the highest resolution version of the cover image that Amazon has.
If a high resolution version of the cover art is not available from Amazon, you might be able to find one from other websites such as [XCITY] (http://xxx.xcity.jp/) or the maker's own website.
To the extent possible under law, the author(s) have dedicated all copyright and related and neighbouring rights to this document to the public domain worldwide.