In Japan, the rent-a-family industry is a real and structured business where people can hire actors to play family members, friends, or romantic partners for social events or companionship.
Origins of the concept
This concept emerged in the 1990s and gained prominence with the founding of the company Family Romance by Ishii Yuichi in Tokyo. Ishii’s company offers professional performers who take on roles such as a stand-in husband for a wedding or a parent for a graduation or simply a friend to share a meal with.
Inside the service
The service fulfils a social need for those who lack nearby family or friends for important occasions or emotional support. The business is transparent—clients and actors are aware of the arrangement, and the goal is not deception but providing comfort and presence.
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Most rental assignments are short-term, lasting a few hours or a day, though some can extend over longer periods if the client desires. Actors are trained to listen empathetically and maintain clear boundaries. The emphasis is on presence and emotional warmth, rather than pretending, as reflected by statements from performers themselves.
The expansion beyond Japan
This model has expanded beyond Japan to countries such as South Korea, China, the United States, and parts of Europe, where similar services exist as rent-a-friend apps, virtual companions, or professional cuddlers.
What experts say
These services are often described as forms of “emotional surrogacy,” addressing loneliness in modern hyperconnected yet emotionally fragmented societies. Sociologists link this trend to shrinking family structures, social atomization, and pressures to present a socially complete image, creating a market for scheduled empathy and companionship.
The rent-a-family industry reflects society’s increasing struggle with loneliness and the erosion of traditional social bonds. Psychologists and sociologists agree this business model mirrors a cultural shift toward “rented normalcy,” offering temporary warmth without commitment. Clients resume their solitary lives once the rental ends, highlighting persistent human needs for connection in an increasingly isolated world.
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