I’m a female member who’s been doing papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) for seven years, and I’m worn out both emotionally and physically. I love older men (50+ is ideal), so papa-katsu itself has never been difficult for me, but I’m starting to get bored. Lately, I’ve even found McDonald’s and family restaurants tastier than being treated to expensive meals. On top of that, I feel like nothing I do is fun, nothing feels fresh anymore, and I don’t even know what I’m doing all this for... That’s how I spend my days now. I’m 25, so maybe it’s about time I quit. I do want to get married, so I’m thinking of focusing on finding a partner instead. But I don’t have any particularly useful skills, and while I’m not ugly, I’m not stunningly beautiful either. I’m not especially busty, either. On my days off, I have nothing to do besides papa-katsu, and the thought of quitting and losing the people who fill that loneliness scares and saddens me more than I can say. I want to get married, but I also want to keep living a rich lifestyle like I have been. Will I ever be happy?

This is Saito, the column writer♪ Please eat homemade food rather than McDonald’s or family restaurants. Take good care of yourself.

I’m BB7, a male member. Is this just bait?? To give a serious answer anyway: “As long as you believe someone else will bring you happiness, you’ll never be happy, no matter how old you get.” Even an elementary school student could understand that. That’s all.

I’m Date◎Yume, a male member. You probably know yourself better than anyone, but regarding your feeling that you’re “a female member whose heart and body have been worn down by seven years of papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan),” it might be worth asking two or three trustworthy people around you for their honest opinions. After all, other people are the ones who evaluate us, not ourselves… (laughs) Judging from your question, your current lifestyle may simply have become what people generally call “routine.” In a sense, you may have already achieved the goal you had when you first joined. As a result, you may have lost your sense of purpose, which could explain why every day now feels like this: > Nothing I do is fun, nothing feels fresh, and I don’t even know what I’m doing it all for… I think you may be in a similar situation to the man who recently reduced his allowance unexpectedly, as discussed in another question on this site. You may now be reaching a new stage in your life. For example, you could consider: - Starting a new chapter in papa-katsu in pursuit of an even more luxurious lifestyle. - Putting papa-katsu on hold for a while and exploring marriage or other paths, such as hobbies or studying. - Taking your work seriously and working toward becoming financially independent. Doing so may help you discover new goals and clarify how you want to approach the future. > I want to get married, but I also want to keep living a rich lifestyle like I do now. Will I ever be happy? Happiness is something you have to grasp for yourself. Whether you pursue both, or decide that one is enough, is ultimately a decision you have to make for yourself… (laughs)

I’m Flag Maker, a columnist. If you’re still hesitating, it’s time to find your courage and return to reality. Learning to compromise is part of growing up. Real-life romance seems harder than papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan), though. Best of luck.

I’m Joe, a columnist. You should definitely make your debut as a columnist. I believe that quality is proportional to quantity. And I thought you did a good job of clearly explaining your situation (am I sounding a little pretentious?). Writing has many benefits. It can serve as a record, and it also gives you a chance to reflect on the past. You remember your first date, right? Writing about it in your own words and looking back on it might help you discover some new insights (though they may not all be positive!). Since you seem to have been doing this for quite a while, I’m sure you have plenty of material. I’d definitely love to read it. For example, although these may be fairly predictable: 1. Top 10 favorite hotels 2. Top 10 favorite restaurants 3. Top 3 favorite positions 4. Weird older men 5. The kind of older man you can’t stand And so on. When choosing your “Top ___,” don’t base your selections on general public opinion or price. Choose them from your own perspective. I’m looking forward to it. P.S. What personally fascinated me most was your comment that “McDonald’s and family restaurants taste better.” First, let me make clear that what follows is not meant to make fun of you. McDonald’s first arrived in Japan in 1971, at the Mitsukoshi department store in Ginza. Shortly after it opened, my father, who had studied in the United States, took our family there to eat. I remember three things: the incredibly long lines, the fact that a Big Mac cost 200 yen (while the initial taxi fare at the time was 80 yen), and the unfamiliar taste—which not only filled me up but also gave me a headache. A few years ago, when I asked my nephew what he wanted for his birthday—“Your uncle will treat you to anything. What would you like?”—he immediately replied, “McDonald’s!” I was genuinely surprised. McDonald’s probably changed the Japanese palate, and I think that change is especially noticeable among people in their thirties and younger. For you, McDonald’s may be a taste that was ingrained in you from childhood. This could make interesting material for a column as well. You may already know about it, but in any case, you should watch Super Size Me, the documentary about someone eating McDonald’s continuously for 30 days.

I’m Meg, a female member. You’ve reached a state of saturation. Even a child will stop playing with toys if they’re given too many. I’m sorry to put it so bluntly, but as one of this Q&A box’s followers, I can only assume you’ve become consumed by greed. That said, the fact that you stopped to reflect here is wonderful. There’s still hope. If you want to be happy, I strongly recommend setting out on a journey of self-discovery. I’m not literally telling you to do that—the most important thing is to change the environment you’re currently in. Through that, I hope you’ll come to understand the joy of giving. I hope at least one percent of that courage still remains within you. Romane-sama Big Sis… y-you’re so cool…

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member. Since you seem to have a job with regular days off, I imagine that alone must be quite stressful. And after doing papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) for seven years, it must be even more so. At around 23 to 25, even if you weren’t doing papa-katsu, it would be natural to feel that everything is stressful. When you’re young, worries about the future can grow, especially when you want to find a good person and get married soon but things aren’t going as planned. That said, I don’t think you need to rush to quit papa-katsu. It can help ease things financially, so perhaps you could find a man who has nothing to do with allowance or papa-katsu to serve as an outlet for the stress from both work and papa-katsu. Whether he’s your boyfriend or not, I think someone who isn’t your boyfriend may actually be more likely to provide comfort. Why not find an older gentleman who will listen to you vent about work and papa-katsu?

Maezawa from the Corporate Planning Office here as well. > Is it about time for me to quit? I don’t think you need to quit, but it might be a good idea to take a break for a while. Once you do, I think there’ll come a time when you start wanting offers again. If you resume then, I think you’ll be able to enjoy it the way you used to. > “Tōkare Date” That’s strange—the conversation at our office seems to have leaked. (笑) As it happens, a few of us were looking at Tōkare Date at the office tonight and discussing whether it’s actually a papa-katsu app, as we’d assumed, or perhaps a matchmaking app.

Male member, Seattle. Let’s put the skills I’ve honed over seven years to work and find the perfect spouse. Younger people have the advantage. A friend of mine found his partner on Pairs and got married.