Since their first choreography in February, their videos, filmed in locations ranging from playgrounds to Shinto shrines to municipal buildings, have been viewed more than 16 million times.
The four men call themselves "ojiqun", a slang word used by young Japanese people mixing "oji-san" ("grandfather" or "old man") and "kyun", which means "heartbreaker".
They wear large pieces of garishly colored cloth around their bellies and keep an impassive face, even if they try, not without difficulty, to stay in tune with the music.
Takumi Shirase, 52, told AFP on Monday that he had created this group with three friends to try to get people talking about their small town of Wake, located in Okayama prefecture (western Japan).
“We wanted to offer something that revitalizes our aging rural community, which is suffering from demographic decline, with fewer and fewer children,” explained this computer and gardening entrepreneur.
Wake's population is currently around 14,000 and its primary school has closed due to lack of demand.
A shopping center has also disappeared and some annual festivals are no longer even organized in the locality.
“We hope to encourage people to come to Wake, whether as tourists or as new residents,” Mr. Shirase added.
The many "ojiqun" fans on TikTok sprinkle their comments under each video with heart symbols, calling them "splendid" and "adorable".
"I haven't stopped laughing," says one user, while another snaps, "I have a peaceful smile, for the first time in a long time."
© 2022 AFP