The joy of sleeping with a beautiful partner — and we mean the sleeping part — is something many of us don’t get to experience on a regular enough basis.
In fact, it’s such an unattainable dream for some that there are even digital alternatives to make up for what reality cannot provide.
But what about the ladies? Do they get to enjoy the wonders of sleeping next to a hot guy enough in their busy lives?
It seems the answer is no, since there is a job called a soine-shi — a professional snuggler.
One such ikemen “hunk” version of this little-known trade is Kaede Ichijo, a 24-year-old snuggler who visits the apartments of Japanese girls in their thirties to help “heal” them through enjoying a drink together.
And then they lie down on the futon for some one-on-one shuteye time.
There’s no “extras” but Kaede Ichijo offers the client his arm, and she snuggles up to him for some rest.
Kaede Ichijo, who also works as a regular host, joined the “snuggle industry” and now has around 10 regular clients — all women in their thirties and forties. In total he has offered sleeping services for 300 women.
A daytime nap course costs from ¥20,000 (around $160) for 2 hours, or a full six-hour “goodnight” course is from ¥50,000 (over $400) — with transport costs on top.
You can even hire such soine-shi to come visit you in a love hotel for some mutual shuteye.
There is a growing trend for this kind of host-lite service: the Ikemeso Danshi service recently started, offering “dispatch” men sent out to offices to give kabe-don for crying girls.
Of course, this is very similar to Soineya, the “snuggle service” where you can rest your eyes literally on the butt of a cute girl. It started in 2012 with branches in Ikebukuro and Kabukicho, but sadly no longer seems to be open for business. Don’t despair, though, there are plenty of other cuddle cafes around in Akihabara.
