The best travel stories are often those most subtle; things that only a genuinely attentive person could pick out in the strange society they pass through.
Such a story comes now from Japan via the BBC, where reporter Giulia Crouch put together the tale of a unique profession of smiling “watchers,” who consider themselves to have the double duty of watching over the country’s aging population while, of all things, delivering probiotic yogurt door-to-door.
For the average tourist in Japan, there perhaps to see the cherry blossoms, Shibuya crossing, or Kyoto’s temples, a woman passing by in a smart navy jacket and skirt, lined in plaid trim, ribboned with a name tag and a matching sun hat might merely appear part of the scenery. But for BBC reporters, it was a loose thread of a story to pull on.
The result was this story of the Yakult yogurt company and their delivery ladies, called “Yakult Ladies.”
In the early 20th century, Yakult was trying to sell probiotic yogurt drinks at a time when bacteria was something that made you sick. Realizing it needed a competent salesforce to explain the difference, the company first employed men to go door-to-door, Crouch writes, until a labor shortage saw more and more women enter the workforce, and Yakult come to reason that since women took care of the groceries, they’d be more likely to heed the advice of other women.
Thenceforth, the Yakult Lady, in her iconic uniform, was born. The strategy was a hit, and the company grew. As the decades passed, Japan became the world’s fastest aging population, with some 30% of citizens above the age of 65. Social isolation and loneliness among seniors have become nationally-relevant challenges.
At the same time, it wasn’t unusual for the only familiar face an elderly Japanese person might see come to their house was the Yakult delivery lady. This situation created the Yakult Lady as social guardian of sorts, a “watcher,” who may be the only person who knows whether an elder is experiencing failing health, or, on the flip slide, who knows they just took up yoga, or planned a trip to China.
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“Yakult Ladies are not just people who sell products,” 47-year-old Yakult Lady Asuka Mochida, told the BBC. “We are watchers in a sense, people who look out for others. We notice small changes in health or lifestyle.”
A Yakult Lady might work 4 days a week, visiting between 30 and 50 houses, stopping at times to chat and inquire after a person’s wellbeing. Other Yakult Ladies told the BBC that sometimes they’ll chat with customers about the weather, gardening, family, or current affairs.
For the customers of Yakult products, the visit gives them something to look forward to.
“Knowing that someone will definitely come to see my face each week is a tremendous comfort,” one anonymous customer told Crouch and the BBC. “Even on days when I feel unwell, hearing her say, ‘How are you today?’ at my doorstep gives me strength.”
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Yakult isn’t just a Japanese brand: it’s expanded into Brazil and Mexico, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, China, and Indonesia. There are 50,000 Yakult Ladies worldwide, sometimes translated into aunties or moms, but the concept is the same: a smiling face, a nutritious snack, something to look forward to.
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