Inside Japan’s ‘Rent-a-Family’ Service: Filling Emotional Gaps for a Price

In Japan, where social isolation and loneliness have become growing concerns, a unique industry has emerged — the rent-a-family service. Here, people can hire actors to play the role of relatives, friends, or even spouses. It’s not about deception for financial gain, but about creating temporary emotional comfort, fulfilling needs that real relationships sometimes fail to meet.

The concept started quietly decades ago but gained momentum as urban lifestyles became more disconnected. Companies offer trained actors who can step into various roles — a father attending a wedding, a daughter visiting her elderly parents, or a friend accompanying someone to a social event. These interactions are carefully scripted based on the client’s requirements, allowing them to experience moments of connection without long-term obligations.

Many clients turn to these services for deeply personal reasons. Some seek to repair strained family ties symbolically, others want to avoid awkward social questions about their personal life, and a few simply crave companionship without the complexity of real relationships. For instance, a divorced man might hire an actress to play his wife for a dinner with colleagues, or an elderly woman might request a “grandchild” to visit her regularly.

Critics argue that such services blur the lines between reality and performance, making relationships transactional. Yet supporters point out that for some, this is the only way to experience certain human connections in a society where social bonds are often hard to form or maintain. It may not replace genuine relationships, but it does address a very real emotional void.

As Japan continues to grapple with aging demographics, single-person households, and cultural tendencies toward reserved interaction, rent-a-family services are likely to remain a part of its social landscape. While unconventional, they reveal a powerful truth — human connection, in whatever form it comes, remains a fundamental need.