What is oshikatsu? Nearly 50% of Japan’s young workers seek trend for fulfilment

The findings, released on Friday by Mynavi Corp, indicate that the trend – spanning everything from social media posts to buying merchandise and attending fan events or concerts – has shifted from a niche subculture into the mainstream and could even bolster workplace motivation.

The survey, conducted in October, gathered around 20,000 responses from employees in their 20s to 50s nationwide. While the overall oshikatsu participation rate was 28.5 per cent, it reached 49.2 per cent among workers in their 20s and declined steadily across older age groups.

Pollsters attribute the trend’s rise to the spread of social media and a wider desire among young Japanese workers for more balance in their lives. The term oshikatsu, which translates to “activities that support my favourite”, gained traction online during the pandemic before entering mainstream Japanese usage.

Nearly 80 per cent of participants in the recent survey said oshikatsu brought them fulfilment, and more than 60 per cent said it helped motivate them at work.