Cafés Where You Pay to Cuddle
In Japan, you can walk into a café, pay an hourly rate, and cuddle with a stranger—no strings attached. These are known as soine cafés, or “sleep together” cafés, and the service involves lying next to someone fully clothed, sometimes chatting, sometimes just sleeping.
In many countries, this idea would raise eyebrows or be misunderstood. The concept of paying for non-romantic physical closeness with a stranger is unfamiliar, even taboo.
But in Japan, it’s seen as a way to relieve loneliness and stress in a high-pressure society. It offers quiet comfort—without the expectations or complications of a relationship.