en Wa balls (also known as
Burmese bells or
Geisha balls) are small, marble-sized
metal balls, usually hollow and containing a small weight that rolls around — used for sexual stimulation (by insertion into the
vagina or
anus). Some may also be solid, or contain clappers or chimes within; other larger versions made of plastic encasing lesser balls are called
Duotone balls. Reportedly, there is also a pair consisting of one containing a drop of mercury and the other, a tiny vibrating metal tongue, giving a uniquely erotic sensation even at the slightest movement of hips or legs (
Sex in History, Reay Tannahill). They are used by inserting them into the vagina and using muscles to hold them in, and movement to stimulate and vibrate. Ben Wa balls are said to originate in
Japan where they were called
rin no tama (
鈴之玉 or
鈴の玉)('tinkling bells') and were made either of metal or
ivory; "Ben Wa" is a brand name. Originally they were a single ball placed in the vagina, used to enhance the act of
coitus, but shortly evolved into multiple metal covered balls linked by either a chain or
silk string for easy removal. Usage of Ben Wa balls create a subtle stimulation, not meant to bring the user to immediate
orgasm but rather to tease. It is possible to leave Ben Wa balls in one's vagina all day, or use them while seated in a
rocking chair, for an effect that some find pleasurable.
[1]
At the end of the sixteenth century,
Ralph Fitch, an English traveller, encountered them in the
Shan States of
Burma. He described their use there by men. Less than a dozen years later, the
Florentine merchant
Francesco Carletti also reported their use in
Thailand, where they were used to enlarge the penis.
Ben Wa balls may also be used to simply increase the strength of the
pelvic floor muscles, much as the
Taoist practice
The Deer Exercise has been used for centuries, and the
Kegel exercises are used today. Similar to Kegel exercises, Ben Wa balls and other shaped vaginal weights are recommended by
gynecologists and
obstetricians to increase vaginal elasticity and bladder control. Vaginal weights come in a cylindrical shape and are used in increasing weights to strengthen the vagina, which improves sexual performance. Mild
urinary incontinence, such as that which occurs while coughing, laughing, or sneezing and occurs more often as women grow older, can be treated with Ben wa balls, vaginal weights, or Kegel exercises.
In
Chinese, Ben Wa balls are called
阴道球 or
内用球.