I’m an enjoyer of ASMR and listen to it almost every night before bed so during my trip to Tokyo, I decided to seek out a real life ASMR experiences. Searching for “ASMR” on Google maps yields no results, you have to search for the Japanese word ear pick which is “耳かき”.
Luckily I found an ear pick service called “秋葉原リフレはぴはに” in Akihabara, and it was easy to locate. Although I can’t read Japanese, I managed to figure out that the service was on the 6th floor.
What happened
Upon arriving at the 6th-floor service desk, a friendly man greeted me and handed me a menu of their services. The menu was in Japanese so I had to translate it and I chose the 20 minute ear pick service, it was 4500 yen or $41 CAD. You could add additional services such as them to sit on you or even kick you. They also had options for them to cosplay as maids but I went with just ear cleaning.
After paying, a cute and bubbly Japanese girl escorted me to a small room on the 5th floor. She had me lie down on the floor with my head resting in her lap. Setting a timer, she began gently picking my ears. The experience was incredibly relaxing, though it didn’t produce the intense tingles I usually get from ear picking ASMR videos. After 10 minutes of cleaning one ear, she blew into it, which did trigger stronger ASMR tingles. She then turned me over and spent another 10 minutes picking my other ear.
When we were done she brought me back to the elevator and cheerfully waved me good bye. While I didn’t quite experience the same level of tingles as I usually get from ASMR videos on YouTube, I would absolutely return and recommend it to anyone who enjoys ASMR. It’s a unique and relaxing experience, and there’s something special about having it done in real life. Plus, you get the added bonus of having your ears genuinely cleaned.
Location
If you’re in Akihabara and want to try this experience, search for ‘耳かき’ on Google Maps, and you’ll find plenty of options! If you’d like to visit the same place I went to, here’s the exact address:
Japan, 〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 4 Chome−6−1 シューマンビル 6F
If you do go always be respectful, they are a legitimate business offering services for relaxation and health.
