In this digital age, people are finding it challenging to build strong connections or even make friends. There can be a sense of desperation, where people want to just reach out to anyone and ask them for the kind of companionship they need.
It might seem far-fetched, but that is actually something you can do! If you ever pay a visit to Japan, you can “rent” a person to accompany you while you do daily tasks, relax, party, or even walk around the city. One curious traveler tried it for himself and shared his experience online.
More info: TikTok
People often say that money can’t buy love, but maybe it can buy you a friend
Image credits: landlordnick
“I rented an old man in Tokyo, who taught me about Japanese culture, food, dating, and real estate”
An American man named Nick Lange had traveled to Japan to buy a house. He felt like the best way to be happy in a new country was to make friends, which is why he decided to try out Japan’s Ossan Rental service. The word ‘ossan’ means uncle, and the site allows people to “rent” different types of old men.
As Nick explained, people could rent a cultural, snuggly, small, or even kind old man. Each option serves a different purpose and is probably based on the type of companionship the user is looking for.
Image credits: landlordnick
Image credits: ossanrental
“I was a little thrown off when I met Sakurai”: Nick said as he was surprised at how young the "old man" looked while only being 58 years old
Nick wasn’t able to rent the old men he had initially picked because he didn’t have a Japanese phone number. So he directly emailed the men and received a response from 58-year-old Sakurai, who looked much younger than his actual age.
As Nick told commenters, he paid approximately $7 (¥1,000) per hour to spend time with the ossan. The renter must also cover the cost of the person’s food, travel, and other activities. This is quite a lucrative business, and there are many successful people for rent. One such person is Morimoto, who actually charges $96 (¥10,000) per session ‘to do nothing.’
Image credits: landlordnick
Image credits: landlordnick
“Some of the people want to just talk, and I listen”: Sakurai told Nick when explaining what his services actually entailed
One of the most stark things you might have noticed in Nick’s video is that Sakurai, the ossan for rent, was not there to provide entertainment but just to be by his side. Sakurai mentioned that people would take him along with them to movies, shop, on long drives, and even to drink.
It might seem baffling that folks would pay for such surface-level relationships. A professional person for rent, Yuichi, explained that the reason why there is a demand for such services in Japan is that people are longing for comfort and connection, even if they have to pay for it.
Image credits: landlordnick
Image credits: landlordnick
Take a look at the incredible video here
The Ossan Rental service might seem like a crazy concept in theory, but in practice, it actually brings people a lot of joy
One of the biggest reasons why such services are successful is that loneliness is a big issue in Japan. It’s estimated that nearly 31% of the population lives in single-person households, and since folks are also expected to work long hours, they often don’t have enough time or energy to maintain personal relationships.
This feeling of loneliness and disconnect is exactly why person-rental services are becoming so popular. To understand more about this concept, Bored Panda reached out to Tofugu, who have incredibly detailed articles about Ossan Rental, and other such resources.
They put us in touch with Mami Suzuki, who works for Tofugu, where she researches the Japanese language and edits content for the WaniKani Kanji learning app. She has also contributed to articles on Japanese culture and language for the Tofugu blog. Her role involves ensuring that the educational material is both accurate and helpful for Japanese language learners around the world.
Mami Suzuki told us that “in Japan, for instance, many people feel uncomfortable doing certain activities alone, whether it's dining out or engaging in a hobby that might seem a bit unusual. For those who lack companions, these rental services can be a lifeline.”
“I've also seen that these services are used by individuals who need to vent about frustrations or share personal troubles without burdening someone they know. It's probably case by case, but I'd say there are many instances that these services can actually benefit the person paying,” she explained.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
What’s most interesting about these rental services is that it’s not just Japanese people but also foreign travelers who try them out for a variety of reasons. We reached out to Jorden Tually, an Australian travel creator and YouTuber who made a video about renting a girlfriend in Japan.
He told us that “everyone comes to these experiences with their own personal reasons, and those motivations can range from a need for companionship to curiosity or even a desire for a cultural experience. In my case, when I rented a girlfriend in Japan, it was primarily for a YouTube video.”
“I wanted to explore the cultural phenomenon, and I ended up with not only entertaining content but also a genuine connection for a few hours that enriched my understanding of Japanese society. It’s easy to forget that people hire these services for more than just personal relationships—they might be looking for comfort, companionship, or even just a distraction from loneliness.”
Jorden added that his experience was surprisingly positive. He said: “I’d absolutely do it again for the sake of another travel story or just to engage in something that feels distinctly different from the social norms I’m used to back home. It’s one of those quirky experiences that sticks with you because it’s not something you’d typically expect to do in your day-to-day life.”
Image credits: Shernon Hague / Pexels (not the actual photo)
It seems like Nick also had an incredible experience connecting with an ossan and learning about Japanese culture. Just like this system, there are also a whole host of other reasons you can “rent” people, such as to play your boyfriend, girlfriend, or even parents.
That’s why we asked Mami Suzuki if she’s ever rented someone like Nick did. She said: “my personal experience with this concept involved renting various individuals—like a homeless man, a middle-aged man, and even family figures like a mother or father—to understand what the service is like for our article.”
“I learned that it's crucial to clearly communicate what you expect from the person you're renting. Misunderstandings can lead to messy situations, especially if you're setting them up to play a specific role. Renting a homeless person turned out to be quite fun; he was a comedian and shared interesting stories about how his life changed after he started his rent-a-person business,” she added.
These rent-a-person resources seem to have many upsides for people looking for support, friendship, and care. However, there can also be potential downsides that people don’t seem to consider. Mami Suzuki explained that “meeting a stranger always carries risks, particularly if you're alone.”
“Plus, in services like renting a boyfriend or girlfriend, there's the potential for real emotional attachments to form, which can lead to complications. There's also the chance that either the client or the rented individual might not show up. Lastly, if you're hiring someone to pretend in a role that involves deceiving others, there's a risk of being exposed, which can complicate things,” she shared.
It seems like most people love the idea of being able to rent someone to just be by their side. That’s why this incredible video got over 94k views and lots of comments from people who couldn’t wait to try this out for themselves.
Would you ever rent someone to be your friend, or would you like to rent out your services? Let us know in the comments.
Most netizens found the rental idea extremely wholesome, and some even thought it was an incredible career path
