Because sometimes you need a little help on the way to and from a good cry.
Ikemeso Takyubin’s name loosely translates as “Handsome Tear Deliveryman,” which is a pretty succinct description of what the company offers. For a fee, Ikemeso Takyubin, which just started operations in September, will dispatch a hot dude to your office to lead you through a therapeutic crying session.
Eager to try the service out for ourselves, we quickly checked out the company’s website, where we were presented with a choice of one of six tear-coaxing professionals.
After careful consideration, we decided on the dapper-looking “Mr. Tokyo,” shown on the top right and billed as an iyashi/soothing type. After receiving a reply email, all we had to do was decide on the date and time we wanted him to swing by our office.
Of course, his family name isn’t really “Tokyo.” Mr. Tokyo is actually Mr. Doi, or Ryosuke Doi, to be thorough. Showing up with a smile on his face, a warm glow in his eyes, and a book in his hand, Doi stepped inside our workspace and began by outlining the benefits of crying. “Even shedding just a single tear can produce stress-alleviating effects that last for a whole week,” he explained.
Next, it was story time, as Doi read from the touching and sweet children’s picture book he’d brought with him.
As we felt our water works strut to rumble, Doi next set up a projector and played a dramatic, moving video for us.
When the lights came back on, we noticed that Doi himself was getting choked up.
But tears can be as contagious as laughter, and we suddenly realize that there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Everyone was crying, and that’s where Doi’s real work began.
One by one, he went around the room, gently wiping away tears and patting cheeks. With so many eyes to dry, you have to supply your own handkerchief, but Doi offered advice along with encouragement. “When you cry, don’t scratch at your eyes,” he taught us. “Dab them gently, so they won’t swell.”
▼ Okay <sniff> Mr. Doi. We <sob> we will <sniff>.
Once everyone’s tears have been tended to, there’s a block of time for the crying session participants to talk with each other. While one person crying at work can be awkward, somehow everyone crying together breaks down a lot of interpersonal barriers, and we definitely noticed freer, more open communication in the office after our session.
If you’re interested in Mr. Tokyo or his associates working their cathartic magic on you, reservations can be made here through the Ikemeso Takyubin website, with a roughly one-hour session costing 7,900 yen (US$66).
Related: Ikemeso Takyubin
Top image: RocketNews24
Insert images: Ikemeso Takyubin, RocketNews24
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