A woman abandoned by her father as a child hired a man to fill the void during a recent trip to Japan.
Key points:
- In a viral TikTok video, Tyen Rasif, who hails from Singapore, shared her experience of hiring a stranger to play her “father” in Tokyo.
- After spending an entire day together, she acknowledged the benefits of the experience and even found parting ways “really hard.”
- Rent-a-dad services have been around in Japan for a while.
The details:
- Rasif is a personal trainer, musician and YouTuber. She said her father “walked out” on their family when she was 11.
- During a recent trip to Tokyo, she rented 63-year-old “Mr. Natori” from Ossan Rental, a company that offers the companionship of older men (“ossan”). They spent an entire day together visiting a temple, drinking matcha and conversing about life.
- Recalling her father’s absence as she grew up, Rasif said she understands how such experiences can be healing. She also cited government data highlighting the prevalence of loneliness in Japan and learned that Mr. Natori chose his job to help others instead of retiring.
- Rasif said saying goodbye to Mr. Natori was “really hard,” but she found comfort in “knowing that I have a father in Japan that I would hopefully meet again.”
- Rent-a-father services have been around in Japan for some time now. Their typical role, however, is to stand in as a parent to be introduced to a prospective spouse.
Reactions:
- Rasif shared her story and experience in a TikTok video that has now amassed more than 2.3 million views. Many expressed interest in the comments, with some affirming that the experience heals “daddy issues.”
- “I would get attached and cry when he leaves,” one user commented.
Watch the video below:
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