Long Before Covid Forced Social Distancing, 'Hikikomori' Made This Man Self-Isolate For Over A Decade

Social distancing has become the most understandable and practised safety measure in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic world.

It is still a social obligation that needs to be followed in many parts of the world to break the chain of contagion.

While the practice of distancing may be new to the world, some people have been doing it even before the pandemic.

Nito Souji, a man from Japan, is one of them. The only difference between him and regular social distancing enthusiasts is that he is been self-isolating for more than a decade.

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Souji leaves his apartment only once every couple of months for a haircut. He follows something called Hikikomori, which means total withdrawal from society and seeking extreme degrees of social isolation and confinement.

According to estimates, half a million Japanese youths and half a million middle-aged individuals follow partial or complete Hikikomori.

Souji is one of them. He is a professional indie game developer, who returned to his hometown of Tokyo 10 years ago. Since then, he has stopped going outside his house as he feels 'ashamed' of himself.

He shops online and has his groceries delivered to him.

He follows a daily routine. But everything is done inside his apartment.

Souji even has a YouTube channel where he talks about hikikomori and the challenges associated with the lifestyle.

"The only thing I can call my daily routine is short exercise. 20 minutes at around 8 pm. Then, I eat a sweet snack, continue working. I go to bed at 4 am. ThatĄ¯s my daily life," he told UNILAD.

Souji also said he actually intended to become financially independent when he started his hikikomori.

At that time, he thought he would spend three years by just concentrating on his work to become successful. But slowly, he started feeling ashamed about himself and was afraid to go outside.

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