services for those who don’t want to talk to anyone are increasing

Our society is evolving. And in Japan, companies seek to woo all types of citizens, including silent minorities. In recent years, these followers of silence have become more and more numerous. To avoid disturbing them, while offering them optimal service, more and more businesses are offering silent services.

Quiet services in Japan

Known for unparalleled conversation, hairdressers, beauticians and other bakery salespeople are sometimes the only social link for their customers. Consumers who may be elderly, alone, shy, sometimes on the fringes of society, for whom this bit of discussion can become the only human exchange of their day. But in Japan, the dynamic is sometimes quite different. As Radio France explains, “businesses now offer to serve their customers in complete silence“.

According to data shared by the Japanese Ministry of Health, 34% of households are made up of single people, or 18 million people. A figure that has been constantly increasing for years, almost doubling compared to the start of the millennium.. Among these single people, divorced or widowed seniors represent 46%. But a part is also made up of active adults who find solitude and silence suitable. People who rarely interact or talk, and whose habits have given rise to new services.

Silent services, hairdressers, shops, restaurants, where it is possible to be served without ever saying a word. Services which are, however, not exclusive to the least talkative, and which remain accessible to all. By booking in advance, customers can specify whether they want a traditional or silent service. As an example, Radio France cites the Hait Works Credo salon, where almost six out of 10 customers would prefer not to say a word during the session, as well as Urban Research, a clothing brand, where 10% of consumers would choose the blue bag in entering the store, a sign that they do not wish to be approached by the salespeople.

But the ultimate proposition undoubtedly remains the experience offered by a café in Osaka, in which silence is obligatory. Nobody speaks, neither the customers nor the staff. In the event that you wish to communicate, you will need to do so via brochures on which small drawings are written.