Safety & boundaries

Offbeat Buddy offers paid, friendly companionship for adults aged 18 or over. We meet to talk, laugh and share everyday activities. The service is strictly platonic: no dating, romantic or sexual services, or pressure for physical contact.

We meet in public places, such as cafés, restaurants, parks and public streets. Private homes, hotel rooms, overnight stays and isolated meeting places are outside the service.

Paying for a hangout gives you the agreed time and company. It does not override anyone’s boundaries. Either of us can decline a suggestion, ask for space or stop an activity that feels unsafe.

Before a hangout is confirmed, we agree the meeting point, timing, activities, transport and expected expenses. Tell me what you would enjoy, the pace that suits you and any practical adjustments you need.

Plans may involve walking, public transport or cycling by prior agreement. Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe and requests elsewhere each need a plan that is practical for the date, route and conditions. A last-minute suggestion is welcome, but it becomes part of the hangout only if we both agree and it can be done safely.

I speak English and French, not Japanese. I provide companionship, not a professional guided tour, security, personal care, medical support or Japanese interpreting. Technical sports, swimming, remote outdoor expeditions and activities requiring specialist supervision are not included.

Age is checked in person at the start. Please bring your passport. If you live in Japan and need to use another government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth, contact me before booking so we can agree a suitable document. The check is visual: I do not photograph the document or record its number.

Harassment, discrimination, threats, violence, unwanted touching, sexual requests and illegal drugs are not accepted. The same standard applies to guests and buddies. We also respect venue staff, other visitors, local residents, private property and photography restrictions.

A hangout can be refused or ended if these boundaries are breached, age cannot be established, or someone cannot participate safely. Any cancellation or refund is handled under the booking terms and applicable law.

You do not need to share a diagnosis or your medical history to explain that you need step-free access, shorter walking distances, regular breaks or somewhere quiet.

Share only the information necessary to discuss a suitable plan, and do not send medical records through an ordinary enquiry. If an essential adjustment cannot be arranged, we will discuss that before confirming the activity. Venue access and facilities need checking for the particular plan; I cannot promise that every location is accessible.

I consider accessibility requests individually and provide the reasonable accommodations required by Japanese law. If a particular adjustment would impose an undue burden, I will explain the practical reasons and discuss alternatives, such as another route or venue.

Bring suitable footwear, clothing, water and any personal medication you normally need. Tell me promptly if you feel unwell, tired or uncomfortable. We can pause, change the plan or stop. I cannot assess your medical fitness, administer treatment or replace a qualified professional.

Cycling is optional and must be agreed in advance. You must be comfortable controlling a bicycle, braking and following local road rules. A hangout is not a cycling lesson.

A correctly fitted helmet is required for an Offbeat Buddy cycling activity. This is an Offbeat Buddy participation rule, including where the legal rule is a duty to make an effort to wear one.

Use a suitable bicycle with working brakes and required lights. Follow signals, ride on the correct side, give pedestrians priority where required, and dismount where riding is prohibited. Stop somewhere safe before using your phone. Do not ride after drinking alcohol or while impaired.

Cyclists in Kyoto must have the liability cover required by the local ordinance. Your own medical cover and liability cover for injury to other people are different things. Do not assume a rental automatically includes everything you need: check the rental provider’s insurance and conditions. An activity will not go ahead unless the relevant cover and arrangements are in place.

We can travel together on public transport or use an appropriately licensed taxi or hire-car operator. Wear a seat belt where provided and follow the operator’s rules.

Driving by a buddy, or transport in a guest’s vehicle, is not included in the arrangements described on this page. Any proposed private-vehicle arrangement needs separate confirmation of the driver, legal requirements and insurance before it can be offered.

Alcohol is optional and only for people aged 20 or over, the legal drinking age in Japan. You never need to drink to join a hangout. We will not continue an activity if intoxication makes participation unsafe, and drinking is not combined with cycling or driving.

Heat, heavy rain, typhoons, earthquakes and transport disruption can make an otherwise simple outing unsuitable. We take official warnings, venue closures and local instructions seriously.

The plan may need more breaks, an indoor alternative, a different route, postponement or cancellation. Neither of us is expected to continue just to complete the original itinerary. Follow evacuation instructions promptly and keep away from closed or hazardous areas. Financial arrangements for changes are explained in the booking terms.

Offbeat Buddy maintains Japanese professional liability insurance for covered claims involving injury or property damage to third parties arising from professional negligence, subject to the policy’s terms, limits and exclusions. This is not travel insurance or personal accident insurance for guests, and it does not automatically pay for an accident, illness or lost belonging unrelated to professional negligence.

Visitors must have travel and medical insurance valid in Japan for the activities they will undertake, including cycling or other agreed outdoor activities where relevant, and emergency medical evacuation and repatriation. This is a condition of the Offbeat Buddy service. Check exclusions and assistance arrangements with your insurer before booking. Keep your insurer’s emergency contact details available.

If the required cover is missing, the affected activity cannot start or continue. This does not remove your statutory rights or Offbeat Buddy’s responsibility where the law makes it liable. Cancellation and refund consequences are governed by the booking terms and applicable law.

Ask before photographing, filming or recording the other person. I will ask separately for written permission before using an identifiable photo, video or personal story for Offbeat Buddy’s website, social media or marketing. Saying no does not affect your hangout. A booking is not permission to publish your image.

Personal conversations are treated with discretion. Relevant information may need to be shared to respond to an emergency, protect someone from serious harm or meet a legal obligation. The privacy policy explains how personal information is handled.

In an emergency in Japan, call 119 for an ambulance or fire, or 110 for police. Move to a safe place if you can and give your location. Professional emergency services take priority over contacting Offbeat Buddy; email is not an emergency channel.

For a safety concern before or after a hangout, email hello@offbeatbuddy.com. Share enough detail to explain the issue, without sending unnecessary sensitive documents.

Read alongside the booking terms and privacy policy.