RENTAL PERSON WHO DOES NOTHING
In June of 2018, 35-year-old Shoji Morimoto posted on Twitter offering one simple service: he will do nothing, for a fee. Any and all requests are fair game—seeing you off when moving, sharing a soda with you, being present alongside you when submitting divorce papers, joining you at a baseball game—so long as it conforms to his one and only requirement that he “do nothing.” Since then, Morimoto has been hired by over 4,000 patrons across Japan, officially rebranding himself as Rental Person.
Rental Person’s clients are often desperate, their requests funny, poignant, mysterious and baffling—but never short of fascinating.
In June of 2018, 35-year-old Shoji Morimoto posted on Twitter offering one simple service: he will do nothing, for a fee. Any and all requests are fair game—seeing you off when moving, sharing a soda with you, being present alongside you when submitting divorce papers, joining you at a baseball game—so long as it conforms to his one and only requirement that he “do nothing.” Since then, Morimoto has been hired by over 4,000 patrons across Japan, officially rebranding himself as Rental Person.
Rental Person’s clients are often desperate, their requests funny, poignant, mysterious and baffling—but never short of fascinating. For a person who follows a path that seems to run contrary to conventional success, why do so many find him so necessary?
- Hanover Square Press
- Hardcover
- January 2024
- 192 Pages
- 9781335017536
Buy the Book
$21.99
About Shoji Morimoto
Shoji Morimoto was born in 1984. He began working as a rental person who does nothing in 2018 and has since been hired by more than 4,000 people. He has been profiled by many media outlets worldwide and has also inspired a TV series. Morimoto lives in Japan with his wife and son.
Praise
“Distinctively Japanese musings on meaning and connection.” —Observer
“A beguiling kind of picaresque.” —The Times
“Lays bare the bathos and banality of contemporary life… Morimoto, though still elusive, emerges as a modern Bartleby, an inadvertent dissident, someone who has come to see his practice as being ‘about enjoying the absurdity of swimming against the tide of efficiency.'” —Guardian
“Shoji Morimoto’s unique memoir tracks the author’s life as he refuses work and rents himself out as a passive companion.” —The Skinny
“Undeniable poignancy… a narrative that transcends cultural borders… An eccentric, charming book, showing how humans can connect in the strangest of circumstances.” —Kirkus, starred review
“Shoji Morimoto raises questions about work, productivity culture, and companionship in this unique account of his service called ‘Do-nothing Rental.'” —Booklist
“A fascinating and oddly endearing memoir.” —Library Journal
“For all his wry humor, Morimoto makes some trenchant points about social and cultural issues like friendship, the elusiveness of human connection, artificial intelligence and the role of money.” —Bookpage
Discussion Questions
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How does Morimoto’s decision to “do nothing” challenge our conventional notions of productivity and success?
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What do you think drives people to hire Morimoto, a person who promises to “do nothing”? What does this say about loneliness and the human need for companionship?
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Morimoto’s clients have a wide range of requests – from sharing a soda to being present during submission of divorce papers. Which request did you find the most poignant and why?
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How does Morimoto’s unique occupation reflect on societal norms and expectations?
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Despite his self-proclaimed status of doing nothing, Morimoto ends up providing emotional support and companionship to many. Do you believe he really does ‘nothing’?