I’m already feeling gloomy thinking about getting back to papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) after Obon. Maybe it’s just not for me…

It’s all about your mindset, so saying you’re not cut out for it is ultimately just a self-fulfilling prophecy. Since the whole point of papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) is that you can choose who you see, why not date someone you actually don’t mind being with? My regular partners are all cheerful and seem to be having fun. Then again, I only keep seeing people I enjoy being around, so that might be the key. I probably couldn’t handle someone gloomy like the person asking this question. Though I suppose that’s also because I’m a good papa (a male supporter). Lately, I’ve gotten pretty good at bringing them to climax. I’m still working on making it my personal mission to get them there once during foreplay. I try to satisfy their appetite, libido, need for sleep, and desire for money. As for the need for sleep, I tell them they can go to sleep afterward. The real test is whether the adult relationship (intimate) was good enough to make them sleepy, and watching them sleep satisfies my need for validation, haha.

It’s the same as not wanting to go to work on Mondays or after a long weekend. You can’t make money without dealing with some unpleasant things.

My gut feeling is that around 60% of PJs suffer from depression. It definitely seems to be more than half. Just yesterday, a B1 girl cheerfully messaged me, “I’d love to see you on the [date]☆” But less than an hour later, she sent, “I’m sorry. I can’t see you anymore 😢” and blocked me. We’d already met once and agreed on the allowance. I’ve experienced variations of this several times just this year.

If you’re in your twenties, why not just get a regular job? When I’m feeling down, I go out for something delicious. If you have a papa-katsu supporter pay for it, it’s basically the same in the end, so maybe you should find a good place yourself.

If you’re already feeling depressed just thinking about it, then I don’t think it’s right for you. For someone who is suited to it, it might feel fun and enjoyable, and they may think, “I get paid for this too? There’s no downside.” That’s the kind of mindset they have. I do question whether there are truly no downsides, but if you mean that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, then people who are suited to it probably tend to think positively. If it makes you feel negative, then it may not be right for you, and I think you need to consider other options. You say you need money, but most people do. That’s simply how society is structured. The question is how you go about earning it. Some people make money through horse racing, for example. There was even a recent news story about someone being criminally charged for allegedly concealing approximately ¥610 million in income over two years and evading around ¥260 million in income tax. It also said they bought ¥2 billion worth of betting tickets every month, so it seems the result of a court case from several years ago—whether gambling winnings count as temporary income or miscellaneous income—is still being applied. (Otherwise, they wouldn’t be saying the person had ¥24 billion in income and owed ¥12 billion in income tax based on ¥2 billion × 24 months.) In the case from several years ago, the cost of losing tickets wasn’t recognized as an expense, and taxes were calculated only from the winning tickets. The person ended up being charged more in taxes than they had actually earned, which caused a serious problem. I’m glad they challenged it—and won. I’ve gone a little off topic, but if you’re already thinking, “This is going to make me miserable,” then I don’t think it’s right for you. It would probably be better to look for another way to earn money. If you need startup capital, you could set a target amount and decide to keep going only until you reach it. (Though how men would feel about that is another question.)

You may simply not be suited for it, or perhaps you haven’t met the right partner. If you’re forcing yourself despite feeling depressed, it could seriously affect your mental health. There are plenty of ways to make money besides an allowance, so I think you’d be better off exploring those options.

Hmm…? I can’t seem to quit, even though I want to! Then you should quit. papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) would definitely feel boring if there’s no real relationship involved. I suspect what you’re doing now doesn’t really qualify as dating. I enjoy it, and we’ve been seeing each other for a long time. It also feels like she’s happy to come meet me. These days, there’s a labor shortage, and there are plenty of ways to make money. I think you should try doing things differently.