The Hikikomori are a type of masculinity that emerged in the 1980s and continues into present day Japan. This broad age group that ranges from 15-39 and there are almost 541,000 today (CNN). They are also defined as the social recluses that have not left the house in 6 months.

These Hikikomori typically lock themselves their own room and have no social contact. Even their contact with their family is minimal. Hideo Iwai, a person became a hikikimori as well, stated he played video games and watching television (CNN 2016).

Why do these hikikomori feel like they need to stay away from the outside? Rosenthal and Zimmerman feel that it relates to larger concepts of Japanese culture. According to them, there is a no win conflict and Hikikomori. Etiological factors of hokikomori behavior can be partially due to an individual’s psychological  state, but can also be due to the family pressures as well, based off of cultural and societal expectations in Japanese society (Rosenthal and Zimmerman, 2012, 87).  

This pressure to be perfect is from the expectation of the Japanese male to fulfill the role of the Salaryman. In order to sustain the overall economic growth of Japan, Japanese males are expected to not work not just individually, but also work for the country as a whole for the betterment of Japanese society. Work culture makes up a major part of their life: in their free time when they are not working, they join their company in going to bars and hostess clubs (Stu 2015).. This has not proven to be healthy, however: karoshi, or health and psychological problems that arise from working overtime has become more prevalent as work hours increase (Kanai 2009).

It is also seen that the pressure to be perfect and preparing for a future of long and hard work hours may be unbearable to some youth. Thus, they may want to hide in their rooms and avoid reality and thus, the reality of becoming a salaryman (CNN 2016).

The increase in prevalence of Hikikomori is indication of how Japanese Youth would prefer not to conform to the overtime working, male gender role that is pressured on them by Japan. They would choose to not partake in society at all if it means working for the rest of their lives. A hypothesis is that the emergence of hikikomori can even be seen as evidence in the collapse of Japanese society (Rosenthal and Zimmerman, 2009, 88). There is a rigid and homogenous outlook may not be fitting for everyone. Even though working more means gaining more money, just a capitalistic mindset focused on economic growth is not enough for Japanese Youth like the hokikkomori. The linear lifestyle laid out by Japanese is representation of a capitalism forward mindset (Kanai 2008).

The hokikomori may be an example of how the male gender role is imposed by Japan’s capitalistic society. However, how is it for females? In the next path, we will see how there is a big market in hostesses, which caters towards the working salaryman market.