Stories
Rent a Family: Japan's Unique Business Where You Can Hire Relatives and Friends for Any Occasion.
- •In Japan, 'Rent a Family' or professional stand-in services allow individuals to hire actors to play various relational roles.
- •These services, believed to have started in the 1990s, have expanded significantly over time.
- •Customers can select individuals based on age, personality, and the role required, with agencies even creating backstories to ensure authenticity.
- •The cost for renting a person can range from approximately 5,000 to 20,000 Japanese Yen per hour (around 3,000 to 12,000 Indian Rupees).
- •Reasons for using these services include combating loneliness, fulfilling social pressures, and having companions for events like weddings or school functions.
Key Questions Answered
It is a professional stand-in service where customers can hire actors through agencies to play specific relationship roles like parents, siblings, friends, or spouses for a few hours or days. Agencies carefully match age, personality, and role requirements while establishing a back story for the meeting.
The cost varies depending on the requested role and duration of the service. Reports indicate that renting a person ranges from approximately 5,000 to 20,000 Japanese Yen per hour, which translates to about 3,000 to 12,000 Indian Rupees.
People use these services mainly due to loneliness, social pressure, living alone, or needing someone to accompany them to events like weddings. Others utilize them for single parenthood or divorce situations, such as having a stand-in parent attend school functions.
