How the Japanese Fight Loneliness: The Most Unusual Methods 0 7

In Japan, the term hikikomori has long existed — it refers to people who lock themselves in their homes for months and hardly leave one room, immersing themselves in television and video games. It was once considered an exclusively Japanese problem, but today the feeling of isolation and loneliness has become global. Over the decades, the Japanese have tried many unusual ways to cope with it.

Earning Without Leaving Home

In 1999, a Japanese television show placed participant Tomoaki Hamatsu in an empty apartment and challenged him to survive by winning prizes in magazine contests. He had nothing, not even clothes; at first, he only had crackers to eat. He had to "win" everything he needed.

Over the months, he received food, small items, and toilet paper, but he never won any clothes. The experiment lasted more than a year, and only then was he informed that his life had been broadcast on television all that time, with his nudity covered by censorship.

Despite the potentially traumatic experience, he later became a television host and even climbed Everest.

Renting a Conversation Partner

In Japan, there are services for "renting a family" or companions. One of the most well-known projects is Ossan Rental, launched in 2012. Anyone can "rent" a middle-aged man simply for conversation, advice, attending an event together, or even a small performance if he has the necessary skill. Any physical contact is prohibited: this is strictly companionship and conversation, not romantic services.

A Phone for Talking to the Departed

In the city of Otsuchi, there is a telephone booth whose line is not connected to anything. People come there to "talk" to deceased loved ones. The words are simply carried away by the wind, but the ritual itself helps process grief.

The booth was installed by garden designer Itaru Sasaki after the death of a relative. After the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which claimed a significant portion of the city's residents, the place became public. Over the years, tens of thousands of people have visited, and the old booth was replaced with a sturdier one thanks to donations.

Quitting Through Someone Else's Hands

Due to a strong corporate culture, many Japanese feel uncomfortable speaking to their bosses about quitting in person. In 2017, a company called Exit was established: for a fixed fee, its employees contact the employer and fire the client on their behalf.

Formally, an employee is supposed to give advance notice and say goodbye to the team in person, but the service allows them to avoid the difficult conversation and social pressure. Despite skepticism, the service has proven to be in demand and is still operational.

Completely Isolating Oneself

Retiree Masafumi Nagasaki settled alone on the tiny uninhabited island of Sotobanari in 1989. A typhoon destroyed his belongings, including his clothes, but he continued to live there for nearly 30 years, only occasionally venturing out for supplies with family support.

In 2018, he was found unconscious and forcibly removed from the island, deemed unable to care for himself. He lived in a city apartment and voluntarily cleaned the streets. A few years later, a journalist helped him return to the island for a short visit. He was happy about the trip but acknowledged that he could no longer stay there permanently and left without regret.

The Japanese experience shows extremes in the fight against loneliness: from complete isolation to paid communication and symbolic farewell rituals. Sometimes people need a conversation with a stranger, sometimes the opportunity to say a final word to those who are no longer there, and sometimes help to take a difficult step toward change. And even someone who has chosen absolute solitude for decades ultimately does not reject a return to people.