Japan’s Unique Service Blends Care, Comfort, and Culture

A growing number of elderly women in Japan are finding new purpose through a unique service known as OK Obaachan ("OK Grandma"), which allows clients to hire women aged 60 to 94 for household tasks and emotional support.

The service charges around 3,300 yen (approximately $20) per hour, plus transportation, The Caspian Post reports, citing local media.

Launched in 2011 by the Japanese company Client Partners, the program now includes about 100 senior women offering help with daily needs like cooking, cleaning, childcare, and even calligraphy lessons. Beyond practical tasks, many clients also seek emotional companionship-whether for navigating breakups, mediating family disputes, or simply receiving maternal support.

The service reflects Japan’s shifting demographics and aging population. With nearly one in four citizens over the age of 65 remaining active in the workforce, the program speaks to both economic realities and the cultural concept of ikigai, or a sense of purpose in life.

OK Obaachan is part of a broader trend in Japan known as “rental family” services, where people can hire stand-in relatives or friends to combat isolation and adjust to changing social structures.