A Singaporean woman has sparked a social media storm after revealing she rented a father for a day to address her long-standing “daddy issues.” Tyen Rasif, a 28-year-old singer and fitness instructor, traveled to Japan to hire a surrogate father and documented the experience on TikTok.

Rasif explained that her father walked out of her life when she was 11-years-old, leaving her with a deep yearning for a paternal figure. Seeking to fill this void, she decided to rent a father-like figure for a day while in Tokyo. “I flew to Tokyo to meet my dad. In Japan, you can rent a girlfriend, boyfriend, and even families,” Rasif said.

Because mine walked out when I was eleven, I rented an old man.”

The man she rented, Mr. Natori, is a 63-year-old who has previously lived in Singapore and China before settling in Japan. Their day together was filled with typical father-daughter activities, such as visiting a temple, drinking matcha, and Rasif receiving life advice.

“We went about what any normal father-daughter holiday would look like. We visited a temple, got matcha, and he gave me life advice,” Rasif said. “I get why you might raise eyebrows over this, but after chatting with him, I realized why services like this are so beneficial, especially in one of the world’s loneliest countries.”

Rasif’s video has since amassed over two million views, and many viewers have expressed interest in following her example. One viewer commented, “This sounds really nice actually. As someone who has no contact with family, this could be so healing for people like me.” Japan, facing a loneliness epidemic with 1.5 million people classified as social loners, has seen a rise in services catering to this need. Companies like “Ossan Rental” offer elder companionship, allowing people to rent elderly figures for various purposes.

Natori shared some of his experiences in the profession, including the strangest request he received, which was from an actress who hired him to sit in the stands and watch her show. He chose this line of work instead of retirement because he wanted to help others, noting that 20 percent of his clients are men seeking an older person to tour the city with for a sense of safety.

Saying goodbye was really hard, but it was comforting that I have a dad in Japan that I will hopefully meet again,” Rasif concluded.

The video has sparked diverse reactions online. While many praised the concept as wholesome and healing, others saw it as an unconventional but beneficial service. One commenter noted, “I don’t find this weird. I think this would help heal many who are working on generational trauma dealing with toxic parents.”

@tyenrasif Healing or weird? ❤️‍🩹🤪 #japantravel #asakusa #travelvlog #dadrental #mentalhealth #fyp #foryou #fypシ #soundsofsea #tunesofsg #tokyo ♬ Taking Off – Tyen Rasif

This unique approach to addressing loneliness and unmet emotional needs is not new to Japan. Another recent example includes a café employing elderly dementia patients. The Café of Mistaken Orders in Tokyo allows customers to embrace mistakes with compassion, providing a productive and interactive environment for those with dementia.

As Japan continues to grapple with its ageing population, innovative solutions like these are being explored to support the well-being of its citizens. Rasif’s experience highlights the potential for such services to offer emotional healing and connection, even in the most unexpected ways. Watch below for another YouTuber’s day spent with Natori.

Sources: Daily Mail | Hype