A middle-aged Japanese man known as ‘Uncle Praise’ has been making a living by standing on the street and showering strangers with praises for a small fee.
Uncle Praise first made news headlines in Japan in September of last year when Fuji TV released a short documentary on his unique “profession”. The 43-year-old man reportedly used to work for a company in his hometown of Tochigi, but at one point in his life, he got so addicted to gambling that he lost both his family and his job. His father fell ill, he lost his job and couldn’t pay the mortgage anymore, his family eventually cut ties with him, and he found himself living on the street. It was a rude awakening that helped him beat his gambling addiction and really assess his life. The middle-aged man had always dreamed of being a street performer, but he had no special skills such as magic tricks or singing, so he came up with the idea of praising people for money.
“If I give praise, there will be fewer people who will feel bad,” Uncle Praise thought to himself, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, so he started going around Tokyo holding a piece of cardboard that read “I praise you so much!”
It sounds like a weird way to make money, but if you think about it, everyone likes to be praised, and sometimes you really need some encouragement, even if it comes from a total stranger. The trick, according to Uncle Praise, is not to overdo it. When meeting people for the first time, he first compliments them on their appearance and then learns new things to praise them for through casual conversation.
“If the other person enjoys it, I’m happy too. That’s why I’ve been able to do it for the last three years,” Uncle Praise said.
Asahi recently witnessed Uncle Praise’s talent when he was approached by a young girl on the streets of Tokyo. “She’s cheerful and energetic. She has a big heart, she reacts well and is kind. She has the ability to draw people in,” the 43-year-old said about his client, who, after about a minute of being showered with compliments, said “I rarely get praised so straightforwardly,” and put 150 yen in his collection box.
Uncle Praise will often stand for hours on end holding his sign without a single person approaching him for his services, but in the three years he has been practicing his unique trade, he managed to get regular clients who call him whenever they need a morale boost. After going viral on social media, he started making “business trips” around Japan and has so far traveled to 31 of the country’s 47 prefectures to praise people. On average, he compliments more than 30 people a day, earning about 10,000 yen ($65).
