The English translation is below
ここのところTVや新聞で話題になった、気になるニュースが
ありまして、今日はその『褒めますおじさん』を取り上げます！
なんかこのブログはおっさんの登場が多い気がしますね。今のところ。
繁華街の路上で人を褒めて、投げ銭をもらう活動をしているおじさんです（４３歳）
平均すると、１日３０人以上褒め、1万円ほど稼ぐそうです
おじさんの活動は約3年前からで、元々は会社勤めでしたが、
ギャンブルにハマってしまい家のローンが払えず、気がつけばホームレスに。。
もともと路上のパフォーマンスに興味があったこともあり、今すぐできて
嫌な気持ちになる人も少ない『褒める』ことを思いついたそうです
実際、褒めている映像を見てみましたが、テンション高めのお笑い芸人さんが、
テンポよく褒め言葉をたたみかけてる感じ🎶
褒められているカップルも、照れつつ笑っています♪
確かにちょっとしたパフォーマンスです！
私も見習って、おじさん風に褒めながらいきましょう🎵
【自分がドン底な時に、人を褒めようなんて、フツ〜思いつかないよ〜！
発想が素晴らしいよね！ 着眼点がイイ！！
きっと心がキレイな人なんだろうねぇ〜！
それにどうせあちこちまわってんだから、家なんかいらないよね！
マイナスをプラスに変えちゃうなんてさすがだね！！】
。。とはいえ、初対面の相手を褒めるのは難しいですよね
やはり見た目から褒めていきますが、『なぜ自分のところに来てくれたのか』を
会話の中で掘り下げて、内面の褒めポイントを見つけていくそうです
なかには、仕事をクビになった人がおじさんの励ましに涙したり、
おじさんの一言に人生救われたという人もいます
年齢層は幅広く、定期的に訪れる常連さんもいるのだとか
褒められた人は、足下にあるプラスチックの箱に数十円から千円ほど入れます
千円以上だと、オリジナルステッカーがもらえるかも！
【オッシャレだね〜！
スターバックスかと思ったよ！！】
おじさんに褒められた人は皆笑顔になって喜びます
おじさん自身も、自分のやりたい事をやって、行きたいところにも行けて
おまけに人から感謝されて、毎日楽しく過ごせているそうです🎵
【おじさんは唯一無二のやり方で、たくさんの人を笑顔にしてきたね！
おじさんを待ってる人、おじさんを必要としてる人はいっぱいいるよ！！
全国制覇どころか、世界進出もあるんじゃないのぉ〜？！】
。。。パフォーマンスではなく、心より♪
ここから2026年度版
“世界進出もあるんじゃないの〜？”と締めくくりましたが
おじさんは政界進出をもくろんでいました！
『褒めますおじさん』は現在、東京の日野市に拠点を構え
今も活動を続けています
「自分が暮らすこの日野市を日本一温かい街にしたい」と
今年の2月、日野市議会議員選挙に立候補しました
結果は、無所属にしては大健闘の518票で落選してしまいましたが・・・
おじさんは「誰1人孤独にしません」「孤独に効く政策」を掲げていました
おじさん自身もホームレス生活を経験したこともあり
「誰からも見られない、存在を無視される孤独」を味わったからこそ
孤独がいかに人を追い詰めるかを身をもって知っていました
研究によると、孤独は1日タバコ15本吸うのと同等に
死亡リスクを高めるらしいですね
おじさんは深夜の駅前などで2万人以上の話を聞いてきましたが
そこで出会うのはこのような人たちだったそうです
・深夜まで働き詰めで疲れ果てた会社員
・学校にも家にも居場所がない10代
・子育てや介護で心を削られてる親御さん
・誰にも迷惑をかけたくないと静かに孤立していく高齢者
・・・もう、日本の闇そのものですよ…
おじさん曰く「『しんどい』と言えない人ほど優しくて真面目で
誰かのために頑張ってきた人たち。そういう人たちが今、
静かに孤独を選んでしまっている」
路上で彼らの涙や、張り詰めた糸が切れる瞬間を何度も見る中で
社会の構造に強いもどかしさを感じるようになったそうです
「私は、人は褒められた瞬間、人生の景色が変わるという事実を
路上で見てきました。表情が変わり、前を向けるようになる。
でも、足りないところをなじる今の政治や社会では、人は前を向けないんです」
自分がやってきた「言葉で孤独を救うアプローチ」を
今度は行政の仕組みとしてもっと深く、多くの人に届けたい」
おじさんが選挙戦で1番強く訴えていたメッセージです
おじさんは今日もすごく褒めています
There’s been a piece of news that’s been getting a lot of attention on TV and in the papers recently,
and today I’d like to talk about the so-called “Praise-You Old Man.”
Come to think of it, this blog seems to feature middle-aged men quite a lot… at least for now.
He’s a 43-year-old man who stands on the streets in busy nightlife districts,
complimenting passersby and receiving small tips in return.
On average, he praises more than 30 people a day and earns around 10,000 yen.
He started this activity about three years ago.
He used to work for a company, but after becoming addicted to gambling,
he fell behind on his mortgage payments and eventually became homeless.
Since he had always been interested in street performance,
he came up with the idea of “complimenting people” — something he could start right away
and something unlikely to make anyone feel bad.
I watched a video of him in action, and he’s got the energy of a lively comedian,
firing off compliments one after another with great rhythm.
The couples he praises can’t help laughing while blushing a little.
It really does feel like a small performance!
I think I’ll take a cue from him and give some compliments in his style today. 🎵
【When you’re at rock bottom, most people would never think of complimenting others!
That idea of yours is brilliant — what a sharp way of looking at things!
You must have such a pure heart!
And hey, if you’re already roaming all over the place, who needs a house, right?
Turning a negative into a positive like that — now that’s impressive!】
Still, it’s not easy to compliment someone you’re meeting for the first time.
He usually starts with something about their appearance,
but through conversation he tries to find out why they stopped to talk to him,
and from there he digs deeper to discover something about their character to praise.
Some people have even been moved to tears — like those who had just lost their jobs —
and there are people who say his words genuinely saved them.
His visitors span all age groups, and it seems he even has regulars who drop by from time to time.
When someone gets praised, they drop some coins or a small bill—anywhere from a few dozen yen to about 1,000 yen—into the plastic box at their feet.
If you give 1,000 yen or more, you might even get an original sticker!
【Wow, so stylish!
I almost thought it was a Starbucks!】
Everyone who gets complimented by the “uncle” ends up smiling.
As for him, he says he’s having the time of his life—doing what he loves, going wherever he wants, and on top of that, being appreciated by people.
It seems he’s enjoying every single day. 🎵
【You’ve made so many people smile with a style that’s truly one of a kind!
There are so many folks waiting for you — people who really need you!
Forget taking over Japan… at this rate, you might even go global!】
…Not just as a performance — but truly from the heart.
2026 Update
When I first wrote this article, I ended by saying, “you might even go global！”
Well… it turns out he had his sights set on politics instead!
The “Compliment Man” is now based in Hino City, Tokyo, where he continues his activities. This February, he ran in the Hino City Council election with the goal of making “Hino the warmest and kindest city in Japan.” Although he wasn’t elected, he received an impressive 518 votes as an independent candidate.
His campaign slogan was, “No one will be left alone,” and he promised policies aimed at reducing loneliness.
He knows what loneliness feels like because he has experienced homelessness himself. Having lived through the pain of being ignored and feeling invisible, he understands firsthand how deeply loneliness can affect a person’s life.
Some studies even suggest that chronic loneliness can increase the risk of death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Over the years, he has talked with more than 20,000 people, often late at night outside train stations. These are the kinds of people he has met:
- Office workers exhausted after working late into the night
- Teenagers who feel they belong neither at school nor at home
- Parents worn down by raising children or caring for family members
- Elderly people who quietly isolate themselves because they don’t want to burden anyone
…In many ways, they represent the hidden struggles of modern Japan.
According to him, “The people who can’t bring themselves to say ‘I’m struggling’ are often the kindest and most responsible people—those who have spent their lives taking care of others. Now, many of them are quietly choosing loneliness instead.”
After witnessing countless moments when people broke down in tears or finally reached their emotional limit on the streets, he came to feel deeply frustrated by the way society is structured.
He says:
“I’ve seen it happen on the streets. The moment someone is sincerely complimented, the way they see life begins to change. Their expression brightens, and they can start looking forward again. But in today’s society and politics, which focus on criticizing people’s shortcomings, it’s difficult for them to move forward.”
His strongest message during the campaign was that he wanted to expand the approach he had practiced for years—helping people overcome loneliness through kind words—and turn it into something that could reach even more people through local government.
And today, he’s still out there, making people smile with heartfelt compliments.
