I tried papa-katsu—or rather, looking for a mistress—and was surprised by how much harder it was than I expected. I’m very grateful for the help from the dating club, but even so, finding someone who’s exactly the right fit is incredibly difficult. It seems easy, yet nothing ever gets settled, and things quickly fall apart. Maybe that’s why these clubs make money?

Maezawa here. Since it involves a man and a woman, I don’t think it could ever be simple! But I also think that’s what makes it interesting. You meet all kinds of men and women. Everyone thinks differently, you may or may not click with them, and the allowance can vary as well. There’s also the question of whether they’re your type. Hopefully, you’ll be lucky enough to meet someone wonderful along the way.

This is Saito, a columnist and current member♪ For women joining for the first time—or based on the image they have of it—there may be some who imagine that joining a dating club means receiving lots of spending money from a kind of “Daddy Longlegs” figure. However, as papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) has become more widespread and casual, ideal supporters are introduced to even better women, while the women they previously saw are cast aside. Things can fall apart very quickly. Dating clubs will naturally want to introduce women who receive good feedback, and likewise, they’ll try to match men with good feedback as well. (If all the good people simply connected with one another and that was the end of it, it wouldn’t be much of a business.) That said, whether they really manage their information that meticulously is another question... I want to be a woman whom men feel is worth meeting. It would be wonderful to have a relationship where the woman they meet gives them energy for work and becomes a positive influence in their life.