From 'creepy' to awesome: 'Old guy rental' service in Japan changes lives It has been 13 years since Takanobu Nishimoto launched an “old guy rental” service in Japan, aiming to improve the social image of middle-aged men, often called “ossan.” Nishimoto, now 57, believes, “Old guys are actually amazing!” The service rents out middle-aged men to people who need someone to talk to or a helping hand with daily tasks. On the website, each “ossan” is introduced with unique selling points, such as “a former politician ossan,” “an IT ossan who can play the violin,” or “an ossan who listens with a smile.” For 1,000 yen per hour, clients can hire an ossan for various activities - going to an izakaya, cleaning, or just chatting. Nishimoto, a fashion stylist from Kansai, was inspired to start the service after hearing young people criticize middle-aged men as “creepy” or boring. He wanted to change these negative stereotypes. At first, Nishimoto was the only ossan, and most requ...
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