Apparently, the Japanese are very into cuddling. I had no idea. They already had cuddle cafes, and now they have a dispatch service that will send a handsome young man to your home to lay in bed with you for a night. It’s not a sexual thing. It’s a human contact thing.

From odditycentral.com

Created in 2011, Soine-ya Prime caters to the needs of Japanese lonely women by dispatching attractive men to sleep in their beds, without engaging in any kind of sexual activities. Clients are not allowed to kiss the men, touch them in any inappropriate ways or contact them without permission from the company. They’re to be used as pleasant company and nothing more.

Upon further investigation, it appears as though there are also women who provide this service, and this service alone, even here in the U.S.

I suppose I see the benefit of this service. I can see how disconnected we’ve become as a society. We’ve created our own bubbles, seemingly connected by smartphones, but without any real interaction. Studies have certainly shown how important human contact is for babies, so I can see how it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that adults would also need that kind of comforting, grounding contact.

BUT…

I don’t like strangers touching me. I barely like people I know touching me. I’m guessing my evening would not be restful if someone I didn’t know, even under the guise of a service, got into bed with me and tried to hold me.  In order for this type of service to work, you have to be a trusting soul, willing to let go of at least some inhibitions when it comes to strangers. Hands up if you think this would ever be me?  Yeah. I didn’t think so.

I’m going to file this one under “interesting idea– for other people.”