This Japanese pensioner dresses like a SCHOOLGIRL at weekends… and now he’s even got a global fan club
From the neck up Hideaki Kobayashi is a bald man with a white beard but from neck down he could pass as a schoolgirl
MEET the famous Japanese man who dresses as a schoolgirl at the weekend.
Complete with ribbons in his beard, knee-high socks and penny loafers, Hideaki Kobayashi outfit is the epitome of Japanese girls' school uniforms.
The 54-year-old began the bizarre dress code a couple of years ago after a friend told him anyone over 30 who wore a schoolgirl outfit got free ramen - a Japanese noodle soup dish.
But despite not having much luck on the free noodle front, Hideaki has continued to dress himself in the traditional "Sailor Uniform Ojisan" - the name for the sailor outfits worn by teenage girls.
When Japanise site asked him the question that's on everyone's mind - why do you dress like a Japanese schoolgirl? he replied: "That's a difficult question. It's not really something I've thought too deeply about. I guess it's because sailor suits look good on me?"
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The pensioner has since travelled to China, Osaka and France after building quite a following with many referring to him as "that old man wearing a girls' sailor uniform".
Hideaki, who was invited to promote a game this month at the Cinderella Festival in Tokyo - a high school event for girls - said: "Times have really changed.
"Ten or 20 years ago, everyone hated old men. It was tons of fun, there were so many people and I feel great."
Whenever Hideaki is in his schoolgirl gear, Kobayashi is surrounded by girls who want to get selfies with him.
He even bragged about being mobbed for photos “like a popular celebrity”, on Facebook.
There is even a rumour those who meet him go on to find deep and true happiness.