Has 2020 left you feeling blue? Are you having problems at work or home? If you've answered yes to either of these questions, it may be time to write to @sayodetectiveagency on Instagram.
Reportedly run by a 9-year old girl named “Sayo,” the detective agency offers creative solutions to tricky problems faced by adults and kids alike. Readers who submit inquiries via email receive a reply written in pencil on a sheet of paper that is photographed and subsequently uploaded onto the site. Sayo made her debut on Instagram in 2019 and, later that same year, published a book titled "Konnichiwa! Sayo Fushigi Tanteisha Desu!” (“Hello! This is Sayo's Magical Detective Agency!”). It’s a slim, 56-page book priced at ¥770, and comes with Sayo's personal slogan sticker, "Ditch that boring life!"
Sayo's nuggets of wisdom gained traction over the pandemic summer when a number of people sought solace in her handwritten Instagram replies.