Posted on 01/15/2018 6:49:03 PM PST by nickcarraway
In a society that values emotional suppression, see how this attractive man is being paid to make you weep.
Even though numerous animal species shed tears, emotional crying is a uniquely human activity. Regardless of the reason behind it, many people believe that expressing one’s emotions in this way can be both cathartic and healthy. In Japan, entrepreneur Hiroki Terai has even adopted this belief as a business strategy. He is the founder of a group crying service that encourages people to cry together while a “handsome weeping boy” wipes their tears away.
Known as rui-katsu or "tear-seeking," the practice is especially popular with women and is said to relieve stress levels. In the short film "Crying with the Handsome Man," filmmaker Darryl Thoms explores this unusual practice and why its founder believes it is bringing people together.
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What If Martin Luther King Jr. Was Never Assassinated? Meet the Teen Who Snuck Aboard a Polar Expedition Chickens Prefer Attractive People The Australian-born Thoms got his start in photography working for a company in Tokyo at the tender age of 21. “Naïve, wide-eyed, and absorbing everything quirky and unusual–the fascination never ended,” says Thoms of his younger self. He then recalls seeing a brief, satirical article about a company that “sends handsome men to dry the tears of crying Japanese women—Ikemeso Takkyubin—literally the Tear Couriers.”
After some digging, Thoms tracked down its founder, Hiroki Terai. Terai turned out to be an accomplished businessman and author with 11 published books under his belt, including one called Ikemeso Danshi, which features pictures of attractive men crying.
Terai secured permission for Thoms to record one of his crying therapy sessions, which is hosted by a “handsome man” named Ryeui-san. “Ryeui is also a singer and samisen player who happens to be handsome, and to have studied the healing effects of tears,” says Thoms.
Crying Among Cultures
For those in Western societies, this crying practice might seem unorthodox—perhaps even downright strange. But for many cultures worldwide, showing sadness or anger is considered taboo, and the rites of passage into manhood dictate that emotions must be suppressed, even obliterated.
In fact, the Japanese are among the least likely to cry of 37 nationalities polled by the International Study on Adult Crying; Americans are the most likely.
When asked what gave him the idea to provide such a service, Terai says that he first discovered the need for a unique way of counseling Japanese couples to get over their recent divorces through inducing tears.
“Ceremony is an important concept in Japanese culture—from tea pouring and flower arranging, to traditional samurai and karate training—there is always a ceremony. It helps program the mind and make it receptive to change,” says Thoms. “There is a ceremony on the way into a [marriage] union, and without one on the way out, he said that many people feel lost with no sense of completion.”
Terai found that in many cases of divorce, women were the ones initiating the split. Many Japanese men work more than 14-hour workdays, often working during the weekend as well. Their downtime might involve playing golf or sleeping all day in preparation for the upcoming work week. Thus, his “crying service” was designed originally to aid divorced women, but he found that others benefited as well.
“It is the elation you feel after you cry that this service essentially provides," says Thoms. "As a writer, Mr. Terai had extensively researched the benefits of crying, and developed a technique over a number of years to induce tears, finally launching it in September 2015.”
The Power of Attraction
So...why a handsome man? “He said that many people behave differently around people they are attracted to, and certain experiences are more emotionally heightened when there is someone in your midst that you find attractive," explains Thoms. "The dilation of pupils, faster beating of the heart and other signs only help with the elation from the crying experience.”
Thoms also says he can attest to the results he felt in the room after the session was completed. “The joy felt by the women after experiencing the crying session was palpable–they were all smiling and enthusiastic afterward, and seemed relaxed—even quite chatty. Ryuei-san mentioned how he can feel the changes in the people he helps cry, in a similar way to how he feels the audience's mood change after listening to a live music performance.”
He also revealed that Terai himself partakes in therapeutic crying on weekends, which he believes can relax you deeply and prepare you for the upcoming week.
“In Japanese society where most people–especially women who have managed to navigate and smash through the glass ceiling into high-pressure jobs—don't have a supporting partner to come home to and unload the stresses of the day, there is a need left unfulfilled," says Thoms. "Mr. Terai’s Ikemeso Takyyubin fulfills this need for many.”
“I think in other cultures with more virtual, rather than actual physical relationships, there will be an increasing need for this service,” he adds.
LOL
You too? Maybe we can start a weight loss clinic.
Andy Pandy, puddin’ and pie...
I’d guess Southpark and the nutritional content of liberal tears has something to do with it.
another quaint Japanese practice, like hari-kari, banzai charges and fugu.
Missionaries and other Americans who spend time in Japan come back and regale me with tales on how horrible Japanese men are. From the open reading of violent and gory pornography, to the truly horrible way they treat women, the stories always end up saying that women are not marrying or having children because finding a worthwhile man is incredibly difficult.
Maybe these women just need someone to actually care about them, and fake “care” is better than “no” care?
I was telling my daughter about the sex robots that Japan is coming out with. “Yeah - they are into a lot of goofy stuff like that - the guys especially are really weird there - introverts and stuff from what I can tell. And rather than be with a real woman they get into all sorts of crazy sex stuff.”
“LaLaLA - Dad - I’m not listening!!”
I think that Japan is still pretty un-reached when it comes to Christianity. I think I read where even just having 5 to 10% Christians in a society really helps to balance out the whole place.
And yes - that includes having a right relationship with the opposite sex. Like being able to share emotions, and sex!
Just googled it - about 1% of the Japanese population is Christian. A family from our church has been over there a long time as missionaries. The dad was saying that the whites are looked down upon, and so it is hard to give them the Good News.
He told the story of his young son going to the public schools for years now and making friends. One time some kid called the son a derogratory name, but another Japanese kid stood up for him. “He’s my friend, he’s not a *&%$#@.” The dad said that was a real turning point after many years.
That’s got to be tough on those kids, but they have spoken in church too when they come back to visit, and seem to get the whole thing and are behind it.
Oh - one last thing. I’m pretty sure it is Japan where the gal got a bunch of other gals together and they have a “bed warming” business. They come and get into your bed and warm it up for you for 20 minutes or so before you hop in. (After they climb out of bed.) But the 20 minutes is also spent talking while you wait. A very high demand.
oops - not Japan - Russia!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/meet-worlds-first-professional-bed-9748489
When I suffered with cluster headaches I found that watching the movie Hatchiko gave me some relief in the small hours.
In fact, the Japanese are among the least likely to cry of 37 nationalities polled by the International Study on Adult Crying; Americans are the most likely.
...
I didn’t know that.
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