Shops that specialize in cleaning people's ears and massaging them are popping up around Tokyo. The concept is to give people the pleasant feeling some had as children when they would rest their heads on their mothers' laps and have their ears cleaned.

Staff use an ear-pick equipped with a tiny camera to show the insides of clients' ears. Akiko Inaba, who manages Mimi Kurin, or Ear Cleaning, said she gets a good reaction with the device because people can see the wax buildup in their ears on the monitor.

Seventy percent of the customers are men, many of whom are in their 30s, and the service has been so successful that a second store will open in Yokohama this month.

Apparently, many women want to learn how to remove earwax to please men. Akiko Inaba is even thinking of starting classes to teach women ear cleaning and massage as part of their bridal training.

From The Japan Times.