Pay to Cry: From Japan’s Ruikatsu to Mumbai’s Crying Club, Emotional Release Finds a Home in India
Pay to Cry: From Japan’s Ruikatsu to Mumbai’s Crying Club, Emotional Release Finds a Home in India
Pay to cry, release emotions, and heal in community — India embraces the global wellness trend of crying therapy
Mumbai, a city of contrasts where ambition meets exhaustion, is now home to an unusual wellness practice, a Crying Club. Inspired by Japan’s Ruikatsu, these clubs invite people to pay for an hour of unrestricted tears in a safe, non-judgmental setting.
Just weeks ago, the Mumbai Cry Club opened across select venues in the city. Here, strangers gather not to socialize or debate, but simply to cry. For a modest fee, participants are offered tissues, tea, soft music, and most importantly, a supportive circle where vulnerability is welcomed.
From Tokyo to Mumbai: The Rise of Ruikatsu
The practice traces its origins to Japan, where entrepreneur Hiroki Terai launched Ruikatsu in 2013. Meaning “tear-seeking activity,” Ruikatsu sessions were designed to help people cry freely by watching emotional films, listening to moving stories, or even guided by so-called “tear therapists.” Terai’s idea was simple yet radical, in a society that often discourages open emotional expression, structured crying could be a form of healing.
The trend spread across Tokyo and soon gained international attention. Now, Indian cities like Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai are adapting the model to local audiences.
Why Crying Works
Science strongly supports what these clubs are doing. Emotional tears release oxytocin and endorphins — hormones that reduce pain and create calm. Crying also lowers stress by flushing out cortisol, helping the body return to balance.
A 2019 study in PsyPost found that people who cried during emotional triggers had steadier breathing, reduced heart rates, and faster recovery. Simply put, tears help regulate both mind and body.
Dr Rebecca Pinto, a physiotherapist in Mumbai, explains, “Crying is not weakness. It is the body’s way of releasing pressure. Just like sweating in a gym removes toxins, crying removes emotional weight.”
A Safe Space to Break Down
At Mumbai’s Cry Club in Khar, participants describe the experience as liberating. There are no probing questions, no judgments, no need to justify one’s pain. Tears flow, sometimes accompanied by rants, sometimes by silence. Watching strangers cry often validates one’s own emotions, turning private grief into a shared act of healing.
“People fear crying in front of loved ones because of judgment,” says a club organizer. “But among strangers, there’s freedom. No history, no burden — just acceptance.”
From Suppression to Expression
India’s crying clubs reflect a cultural shift. For generations, tears were seen as weakness, especially in men. By normalizing crying, these spaces challenge that belief. They show that strength lies not in suppression, but in the courage to express.
Each session is less about breaking down and more about rebuilding. As one participant put it, “I walked in with a heavy heart. I walked out lighter, like a part of me had been heard.”
In the end, crying clubs aren’t about sadness, they’re about release, recovery, and reconnection. Or as Ruikatsu’s philosophy states: a good cry is a luxury.
