Introduction
Ms. B is 33, a homemaker with two children. Her husband works for a manufacturer, and before marriage she worked as a nail artist. She's currently on hiatus from nail work, and it's been about a year since she started double-working at First Class Ruby alongside childcare and housework.
"My Husband's Income Alone Wasn't Enough to Feel Secure"
— Let's start with your current situation.
B: My husband's annual income is around ¥4.5 million. We live in an ¥80,000-a-month apartment in Urawa, with two kids. Add up the monthly living costs and it's basically hand-to-mouth. Eating out two or three times a year is about the best we can do, and there are several extracurriculars for the kids where we have to say "that's not happening."
It's not that we're unhappy. It's just that the situation where, when a child says "I want to do that," I have to say "we don't have the money" — that had been nagging at me the whole time.
— Around when did you start thinking about the fuzoku (Japan's licensed adult-entertainment business) industry?
B: Last spring, when my younger one started elementary school. "I've got time during the day now, I could do something" — that was the start. I also thought about restarting nail work, but with a nail salon, even part-time, ¥100,000–150,000 a month is the ceiling, right? So while I was researching options that actually pay, a soapland job listing came up.
At first it was "absolutely no way for me." But then, looking at the listing, the words "fully flexible scheduling" and "daytime OK" caught my eye. "Maybe I could try three days a week, daytime only" — that thought is what got me to join.
Why She Chose Ruby
— Looking at Ruby's listing, what was the deciding factor?
B: The feel of the site, and the way they handled my call. When I asked, "I'm a housewife — is it okay even with kids?", the answer came back, just normally, "Of course it's fine. How many days a week do you want to work?" It wasn't "special treatment because you have kids," and it wasn't "you have kids and you're doing this?" — they just listened to it as a work matter, normally. That response gave me a sense of trust.
— Tell us about how you work now.
B: Basically three days a week, the six-hour 10 a.m.–4 p.m. course. Ruby is open 6 a.m. to midnight, so there's genuinely work even in the daytime. I work during the hours my kids are at school and get home before they do. This pattern has barely broken in a year.
— Roughly how much do you make a month?
B: On average ¥380,000–420,000 a month. On the six-hour course, about ¥70,000–80,000 a day is the benchmark. Three days a week over four weeks works out to over ¥900,000 on paper, but in reality there are months I take off for the kids' events or illness, so ¥400,000 or so is the realistic figure.
She Can't Tell Her Family
— You haven't told your husband?
B: I can't. I tell him I'm "working part-time," but I don't share the details. If you asked whether I feel any guilt, I'd be lying to say no. But the fact that "this lets me give my kids their lessons" — that's what holds me up.
The kids' swim class, piano class, English conversation class... I pay for all of it with money I earn at Ruby. I tell my husband "my parents are helping us out a little." I'm not completely lying — it's just that the source of the "help" is different, is what I tell myself (laughs).
— Do you feel guilt?
B: The first three months I did. Every time I came home from work I'd think, "Is this really okay?" But now I've reached a certain kind of acceptance. If you look at the fact that "I earn with my own body and give it back to my family," I'm not hurting anything. Of course people have different values, and a choice like this isn't right for everyone.
The Staff Are "The Reason She Feels Safe"
— What's the reason you've been able to keep it up for a year?
B: Trust in the staff. Ruby has multiple female staff, so there's an environment where it's easy to talk things through. Even when I say, "There's a sports day for my kid this month, so I'll be off for a week," it ends with a single "Understood. Let us know when you're back." No holding you back, no blame.
"Fully flexible scheduling" is a phrase you see all the time in listings, but I hear that at a lot of shops the reality is "take time off and they get cold with you." Ruby is free in the true sense. For a housewife, that's a lifeline.
— How do you manage your health?
B: I get a regular health checkup twice a month on my own. Ruby also partially subsidizes the checkup cost, and they explained that before I even joined. My body is my capital, so I manage that seriously. When my body's worn out I don't force myself in, and the staff tell me, "Health first."
Where the Money Goes, and the Future
— What do you spend what you earn on?
B: My kids' education costs, and investment savings for my own retirement. I make sure to put at least ¥100,000 a month into a NISA account. Back when I did apparel and nails I had zero savings, but now I've built up about ¥3 million. A sense of security — "If push comes to shove, I can survive" — has been born.
— What's your vision going forward?
B: When my younger child starts junior high (about three years out), I'm planning to open a nail salon. I'll save the startup money at Ruby. Because I have that plan, I can push through now. A job where you can see the exit is easier to keep at.
— Finally, a word for housewives in a similar position.
B: I understand the hesitation. But I want people to know that the options "daytime only" and "just a few days a week" exist. Even with kids, even with a household, everyone has the right to earn their own money. The biggest hurdle before jumping is the fear of "Can I even do this?" — but you won't know until you call. Just like I didn't.
First Class Ruby — Recruitment Information - Official site: https://www.tfr-ruby.com/ - Location: Urawa Ward, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture - Hours: 06:00–24:00 (fully flexible scheduling) - Application hotline: 070-1462-0622 (available 24 hours) - LINE ID: ruby2017s