As in many cities around the globe, most people in Tokyo prefer anonymity when it comes to their wants, needs and vulnerabilities. People who are desperate to get advice don’t want it from a guy they’ve worked with for years or the uncle who remembers the tears shed over a broken toy truck. Their reasoning is that someone familiar might judge them. That’s why Takanobu Nishimoto (pictured) launched a business called Ossan Rental. An ossan is a middle-aged man, and if you need advice, a professional ossan will sit down and give you some for just 1,000 Japanese Yen, the equivalent of $6.84 per hour. An ossan will listen to a client's complaints, perform chores, give advice on life, or escort a client to an event. Nishimoto ensures the security of his customers by having a strict “no-touching” policy. The ossan gets to keep whatever money he makes, but is required to sign a 1-year contract. To screen out anyone with shady motives, Nishimoto charges ossans $90 a month for membership. He currently has more than 80 ossans to choose from and business is booming.
