Hikkikomori wears a mascot suit

Hikikomori (often spelled “Hikikomori”) is modern Japan’s serious issue. Many youth in Japan are socially withdrawn and are afraid of interacting with people. So many of them stay at home and severely troubled people refuse to leave their bedroom so it is pretty serious.

I personally know a few people whom I grew up together in Japan and now they are Hikkikomori. 🙁 It is a very sad situation, and I wish they will get the help they need so they can be self sufficient instead of hiding in their homes.

So I wanted to share the news about the organization helping young people suffering from “Hikkikomori” come out of their closet and start interacting with people while wearing a suit stuffed animal. Many of these people struggle with self-image and social anxiety so the organization thinks that these people can be popular and get more positive interactions with strangers because they are wearing a mascot suit and they also get to practice interacting with others without exposing themselves.

I think this is a great idea because people who are withdrawn from society in Japan really need to start interacting with people without being judged. There are Hikkikomori in America that I currently live but I think this issue is very serious especially in Japan because many companies specify an age range for their candidates and of course, it makes even more difficult for these Hikkikomori to return to work after hiding in their homes for sometime. There are a lot of stigmas associated with people who are not employed and because the employment system makes it even more difficult for people over 30s to find a secure job.

I think it is a vicious cycle but I do like the idea of anxious people practicing their social skills by becoming a popular mascot.