
When I woke up this morning, there were a few things I had expected for my day: a few gallons of coffee, a couple hundred photos of cute cats on the Internet, and a dozen more replays of Urbangarde’s music videos. What I had not expected to see was an origin story for none other than Sailor Suit Old Man.
And in case you’re wondering, no, he’s a not a grand wizard from an alternate dimension. But that might not be too far off!
By now, you should be familiar with some of the school-girl-outfit-wearing residents of Tokyo. Of course, there’s Ladybeard–the man who is not a lady but who does have a beard–and then there’s the legendary Sailor Suit Old Man, who is…well, an old man wearing a school girl outfit. Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover, we suppose.
But you’d be wrong to do so in this case, because while Sailor Suit Old Man may look like a slightly crazy wizard of immense power obsessed with being the cutest thing this side of Hello Kitty, it turns out that he’s actually something of a genius. This really shouldn’t surprise anyone who has seen him conversing with Ladybeard in nearly flawless English–the man obviously has a sharp mind.
▼And a distinct appreciation for French cuisine.
But it turns his mind isn’t just sharp–it’s razor sharp. Hideaki Kobayashi, the real name of Sail Suit Old Man, was born in 1962 and earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees in mathematics from the Waseda University’s engineering program. In case you’re not familiar with Japanese universities, Waseda is one of the most highly ranked private universities in the country, which is to say that he’s not just intelligent–the man must have been an incredibly dedicated student.
▼And cute. Damn cute.
セーラー服おじさんクソコラ pic.twitter.com/WoYjUy3UMs
— まこまこP (@zakusan_yuuutu) May 22, 2014
GrowHair, the name Sailor Suit Old Man uses for his artistic pursuits such as photographing dolls (caution: photos are not safe for you sanity) and cosplay, is actually currently employed at a printing company. He just happens to enjoy wearing school girl clothes because, as he said in an interview, “I thought the sailor suit had a cute image. So, I was interested in seeing if I too would become cut if I put on a sailor suit.” Well, the answer, good sir, is a solid, unquestionable YES!
But in addition to his day job and his plethora of hobbies, it looks like Sailor Suit Old Man is also developing a side career as a guest lecturer!
What you see directly above is a close up of the press release from Waseda Juku, a prep school for middle and high school students getting ready for college entrance exams, announcing the lecture. As the press release explains, they’ve asked Sailor Suit Old Man, who also happens to be an international patent holder, to give a special lecture about “A Rich & Happy Life” and the importance of studying hard. As someone with a grin that infectious, he certainly seems like the right person for the job!
Unfortunately, it looks like the lecture is meant for middle and high school students. Maybe if we all put on our best school girl outfits, they won’t be able to tell the difference. Someone get Mr. Sato some high socks and a skirt!
Sources: Waseda Juku, ITMedia, Naver Matome, GrowHair
Images: Twitter (@GrowHair),



Ladybeard x Sailor Suit Old Man star in “dream collaboration” at school!
When Ladybeard meets “Sailor Suit Old Man”, it’s an explosion of manly cuteness【Photos】
Sailor Suit Old Man’s mobile game just as cute and fun as the man himself
This stoic gentleman is Sailor Suit Old Man?!?
Finally, the Ladybeard and Sailor Suit Old Man wrestling match you’ve been waiting for
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Kinotake Mother AI developed to study Japan’s divide between chocolate cookie snacks
What’s inside Japan’s super-rare, super-popular Nara bread?
Japanese Godzilla looks set to attack New York in teaser for Godzilla Minus Zero[Video]
Japan’s popular bead bonsai kit is as beautiful as it is gruelling to make
Tokaido Shinkansen Sushi Journey Bento takes your taste buds on a trip from Tokyo to Osaka
Is Burger King’s Big Mouth Burger really as overwhelmingly meaty as promised? 【Taste test】
Yoshinoya invites you to give the gift of beef bowls this Mother’s Day
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says