Why do Japanese people like being alone?
気を使わなくて済む（壁がある）
一人でも十分楽しめる（田舎との違い）
優しい。忙しい。
Now we’re in summer vacation, finishing the Spring semester a week ago. As I went back to Japan, there is one thing notable as the difference between Japan and the U.S. That is… the Japanese like being alone much more than the American. Hence, I dig into the reasons that make this happen.
The first thing that came up in my mind was that when you are alone, you don’t have to pay attention to the others. Japanese people tend to be aware when talking with people, for instance, trying not to be imprude, not to make big sounds, and to continue talking. Therefore, they consume tons of energy while talking, especially with new people. That’s why they prefer to being alone and feel relax in their free time.
Furthermore, you can enjoy the life in Tokyo even if you’re alone! You know what, compared to the U.S., Japan is much smaller and hence a lot of building, houses, and restaurants are packed in the city. Although it has cons like too crowdy, we can visit many places quickly. There are a bunch of places you can have a fun by yourself, including the book store, karaoke, gyms, and cafes.
The final reason is that they are busy. Recalling my 10s, I was more with friends than be alone. I played, studied, having lunch, and hanging out with my friends all the time. After the puberty, becoming an adult, people come to being alone because they are busy working. This is particularly notable in Japan. They work harder and longer than those in US (while they are paid less lol), so they can’t spend much time having lunch or hanging out with friends.
With these three reasons, Japanese people spend much time by themselves than US people. However, I believe this is not a good thing. If you’re alone, sure, you can feel relax and can do what you wanna do, but at the same time, you don’t activate your brain or building relationships with others. In other words, you don’t make anything. Looking back, my happiest memories are all shared with my friends or family. To be happier and less stressed, you have to hang out with your friends!!
(Written in Starbucks in Japan, being alone.)