Can a person we’ve just met really make us feel better about ourselves?

Tokyo’s Kabukicho neighborhood is one of the more…let’s call it “eclectic” parts of the city. Within Kabukicho you’ll find Tokyo’s densest concentration of pubs, bars, and hostess and host clubs, but also gleaming new entertainment complex high-rises and more than a few fine-dining options.

With Kabukicho being located between SoraNews24 headquarters and the Shinjuku Station rail hub, our reporters walk in and around the place on a daily basis, so we’ve become sort of used to the unusual sights. But even still, our reporter Yuichiro Wasai couldn’t help stopping and staring when he saw this man on the Kabukicho streets.

His attire already made him stand out, as Kabukicho’s hard-drinking/modern-living atmosphere doesn’t lend itself to the sort of refined traditional venues and events to which one would wear an elegant kimono. What’s more, this man wasn’t headed anywhere. He was standing there on the sidewalk holding a sign that said “I will continuously compliment you” (ひたすら褒めます).

The fine print explains that this isn’t a completely free service, as it requests nagesen (投げ銭), or a “tip,” of the sort given to street performers, in exchange for the compliments. There’s no set fee, though, and you render payment after receiving the compliments, paying the man, who introduced himself as Sado Place, whatever amount you think his words were worth. His sign also lays out his credentials, saying that he’s complimented over 5,000 people at Tokyo Tower, and that he’s been featured on radio station J Wave and TV station BS Fuji.

Curious as to what kind of compliments he’d get from someone he was meeting for the very first time, Yuichiro decided to take Sado Place up on his offer, while half-expecting he’d get some sort of pleasant but surface-level praise like “Wow, you’re so handsome!”

Before turning on the compliment faucet, Sado Place had two questions for Yuichiro. First, he asked him what kind of work he does, to which Yuichiro told him he writes articles for a website. Sado Place then asked about Yuichiro’s hobbies, and he said that he likes doing martial arts, with jiujitsu being his favorite, but that he doesn’t have as much time to do them as he used to now that he has a kid.

And with that, it was time to let the compliments flow!

▼ The complements start at the 33-second mark, after Yuichiro has explained his martial arts interest.

Ah, yeah, I can see that! Sorry if this rubs you the wrong way, but at a glance, you don’t look like a guy who gets all smiley, but as soon as you start talking, I can tell you’re really a nice guy. I’m pretty shy myself, but I feel really relaxed talking with you. You’re the kind of guy who can get along with anyone, I bet.

You said you’re a writer, right? Writers have to do a lot of listening and learning, and I can tell you’re really good at that, and it gives you a real easy-to-talk-to vibe. I get the sense that you’re always taking into consideration who the person you’re talking to is, and thinking about what would make them happy.

But you still have a rock-solid sense of yourself. I got that impression right after we started talking, and then when you mentioned that you’ve studied jiujitsu and other fighting techniques, it really clicked. Your mind’s not running all over the place all the time. You’ve got a really strong inner core, and that’s something that’s easy to see.

So when you combine that with being the kind of person who wants to make people smile, to make them happy through their writing, it’s really amazing. You’ve become a person who’s able to empathize with what others are feeling, then put that into written words. There are writers who can’t write about anything other than their own personal opinions, but I can tell that’s not the kind of writer you are. “What’s at this person’s emotional center? What kind of person are they?” Those are the questions that are always in your heart, and it’s why your writing can touch other people’s hearts. Those are the things that you’re able to do.

So how did Yuichiro feel after hearing all this?

▼ “Feels soooo goooood…”

In less than two minutes, Sado Place had put on a master-level demonstration of how to make someone feel good about themselves. Having just meant moments before, naturally the only things Sado Place can genuinely comment on appearance and general atmosphere. But rather than just complimenting facial features or fashion sense, he’s able to connect his first impressions to what’s going on in someone’s heart and mind, getting a glimpse of the goodness inside a person. So instead of skin-deep niceties, he was able to leave Yuichiro with some extra confidence that his core values and considerateness are such an integral part of who he is that they bubble up from his core and manifest in his physical mannerisms.

It was exactly the kind of pick-me-up Yuichiro could use after a long day at work, and while some people might be tempted to doubt the sincerity of Sado Place’s words, he did hit the nail on the head in that Yuichiro, like all of our writing staff at SoraNws24, really does want to write articles that will make our readers happy.

As a street complimenter, Sado Place doesn’t have a set schedule or location for his complimenting, but he does have an Instagram account here, where he also posts about his tea ceremony hosting activities.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]