Japanese company aims to provide women with a “high-spec” man of their dreams thanks to their rigorous testing and exacting standards (no mention of looks or personality).
Some Japanese women feel they have a difficult time finding acceptable suitors, with in certain cases might have something to do with their expectations. In the past, surveys have shown the importance of a romantic partner’s salary in the minds of many single women, but criteria such as a lofty academic background and a high income can be hard to identify at a glance. However, for those looking for a solution to that problem, the company Ikinari Date (meaning “sudden date”) may be just the thing.
Ikinari Date’s application process is so tough that less than five percent of male applicants pass muster. The men are expected to have graduated from one of the country’s better universities, have a job in a highly respected profession such as a lawyer or doctor, or for a company employing more than 100 staff, and to be aged between 23 and 39. Well, that’s me out, at least until RocketNews24 takes over the Internet and expands its staff several times over. The conditions for women are a little less stringent; they need to be aged 20 to 26, and have graduated from a university or be currently studying at one.
The official website even gives details of what sort of universities their members graduated from, with nearly 20 percent of the men having graduated from the prestigious Keio University.
As Ikinari Date’s name would suggest, it aims to be rather immediate, though it doesn’t involve jumping out of bushes at passing strangers wielding flowers. Instead of seeing whether you like the look of each other in photo form (a la Tinder) prospects are thrown together on a lunchtime date. Users who pass the test give details of when they’re free to meet, and an Ikinari Date staff member will book a restaurant for your encounter with destiny. This means that one day you could be lonely at home, wondering why you haven’t landed yourself a brain surgeon/member of the landed gentry, and the very same day you could be tucking into lunch with a high-spec man. A high-spec man who also feels the need to use a dating service, but a high-spec man nonetheless.
The Ikinari Date service is currently only available in Tokyo and Osaka and women signing up now will get one date free; usually each date costs 1,500 yen (US$13) a pop. Or, if that doesn’t work out, maybe these lonely ladies could try looking for some otaku love.
Source: Ikinari Date Press Release
[ Read in Japanese ]

Why women think Tom Hiddleston is the ideal man, according to Japanese Twitter
Japanese women’s magazine’s list of traits for an ideal man is both understandable and baffling
Japanese college women pick between men who’re short and handsome or tall and plain in survey
What do Japanese men think about dating foreign women?【Video】
Survey asks Japanese women if they could date a man who earns less money than they do
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese convenience store sunglasses just became our newest Convenience Wear obsession
Dog-friendly Wanwan Liner bus to begin operations between Tokyo and Osaka this fall
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Tokyo giving out free furoshiki from Pikachu’s designer to help tourists carry their garbage home
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
The Four Lows: Many Japanese women’s new image of the ideal man
Survey asks Japanese women if they’d rather date a guy who’s experienced with women or not
Japanese dating site’s picture of ideally attractive woman: young, no sleeves, college education
What are the most and least attractive hobbies for Japanese men and women? Survey investigates
A large number of men prefer women who are attracted to other women, study says
Japan’s “Rent-a-Boyfriend”Dispatch Service: Because Japanese Women Get Lonely Too
Nearly half of young Japanese men in survey have never had a girlfriend, zero-boyfriend women rise too
Japanese women reveal their ideal kiss scenarios【Survey】
How much do Japanese men and women pay on dates? Survey finds large gap
Japanese women list the top 10 romantic scenarios by which they’d like to meet a new boyfriend
40 percent of Japanese women in survey say they’d be OK with a “Christmas Eve-only” boyfriend
More than half of Japanese men in survey spent Christmas alone, women more likely to be OK solo
Is it OK to split the bill on a date in Japan? Survey asks what women and men of different ages think