TOKYO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- On a weekend morning, sunlight poured over Keiko's face through the cracks in the curtains. She opened her eyes, stretched out, and started a new day of single life.
I ate alone and traveled
Stop and go everywhere
Also a person reading a book and writing a letter
Talk to each other on your own
This lyric can be described as a true portrayal of Keiko's life.
One person eats ramen, one person goes to a café, one person sings KTV... Awkward?
No, because these stores are tailor-made for single people.
In the ramen restaurant, each seat is separated by wooden boards to avoid the strange eyes of people around them on single noodle eaters; in the café, there are giant cute dolls across the table, so that single diners don't have to pretend to flip through books and look at their mobile phones because they don't have a chat partner; in the KTV single room, a person can roar and release pressure...
It was Keiko's weekend day, seemingly lonely, but not lonely. It is a microcosm of the daily life of many Japanese singles.
【The era of living alone is coming】
With the decline in birthrates, aging, non-marriage and divorce rates, the proportion of two generations of the same-generation family model is declining, and single-family households have developed into an important social structure in Japan.
Japanese sociologist Shu Miura pointed out in his book "Potential Business Opportunities in the Era of Ultra-Solitude" that "one-person living" has become the mainstream of Japanese family forms. In 2010, Japan's single-family households accounted for about one-third of the country's total households, surpassing the "nuclear family" of parents and children. A person's consumption behavior will dominate the future economy.
According to the 2015 Census "1% Sample Flash" released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in 2016, the proportion of households living alone in Japan was 32.5%, the highest value in history. The number of unmarried people, mainly young people, has increased, and the single population of the elderly has also tended to increase. 1 in 8 males and 1 in 5 females live a single life among the population over the age of 65.
According to the findings of The Famous Japanese Advertising and Research Company Hakatado, the "lifetime unmarried rate" of Japanese men will be close to 30% by 2035, and for women will be close to 20%. By 2035, about 48.05 million of Japan's population over the age of 15 will be single, while about 52.79 million will have a spouse, that is, about half of the Japanese will live a single life.
Kenichi Omae, a famous Japanese management scientist, pointed out that in the past, the marriageable age for Japanese men was 28 years old and women were 25 years old, but now it has been delayed until almost 40 years old to be fixed, forming a huge "single family".
【Unlimited business opportunities in the "single economy"】
Japan's family structure has changed, and the consumption pattern of driving a small SUV with a family number and going to a hypermarket to buy a few degrees of use has also changed. More and more solitaires rely on convenience stores to get by, and convenience stores are gradually becoming refrigerators for solitary people.
Japanese merchants smell the huge business opportunities of the "single economy", analyze the needs of solitary residents, and rush to seize this market.
Nowadays, walking alone on the streets of Japan, you can find shops suitable for single consumption everywhere. There are also many services tailored for singles, from eating alone and traveling alone to singing alone and taking wedding photos alone, the Japanese people's brain hole in the "single economy" can be described as getting bigger and bigger.
One of the most famous is the Ichiran ramen shop.
In front of a Ichiran ramen shop. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Ma Zheng)
This noodle shop separates each guest with a partition.
Inside the Ichiran ramen shop. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Ma Zheng)
When guests need to order food, press the call button on the table, the curtain in front will be raised, and the clerk will take the order and make ramen according to the customer's request.
Since the curtain in front rises to at most half the seat height, not only can the guests not see each other, but even the clerk's face is just blocked. After ordering, guests can enjoy their meal alone.
Moomin Bakery & Cafe is also popular in Japan.
The door of the Purr Rice Café. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Ma Zheng)
When guests dine in the café, the clerk will take turns to place giant dolls such as purr rice in front of the guests.
Giant dolls accompany you to dinner. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Wang Kejia)
Accompanied by cute dolls, guests are not only in a happy mood, but also comfortable eating.
Eat alone with a doll. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Wang Kejia)
This restaurant is not only sought after by singles, but also many couples and girlfriends also eat in the restaurant.
Non-singles also visit the store. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Wang Kejia)
"One-person Karaoke" has developed into a large-scale chain brand in Japan, with branches in Tokyo, Osaka, Sendai and other places.
The entrance to the "one-person karaoke" hall. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Wang Kejia)
The "one-person karaoke" hall is only about two square meters per box, but although the sparrow is small, it is complete: the song system, microphone, headphones are fully equipped, there are hangers on the wall, and there are drinks and snacks when thirsty and hungry.
"Karaoke for one person" in the private room. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Ma Zheng)
One can release the stress accumulated in this small space without scruples and relax.
According to the data provided by the Japan National Association of Karaoke Practitioners, the number of karaoke venues in Japan has been decreasing since 2000, and the use of karaoke is gradually moving from group use to small number or even one person.
Inside the "One Person Karaoke" hall. (Photo by Xinhua news agency reporter Ma Zheng)
[Street mining: "One-person shop" is sought after, "single tax" causes controversy]
Reporters randomly interviewed pedestrians on the streets of Shibuya, Tokyo, and asked them about their attitudes toward the "single economy."
The results found that respondents, whether single or not, were almost all positive about the "single economy" attitude. Most people don't feel alone, but enjoy the feeling of being "alone".
But when asked about the proposal to impose a "singles tax" on singles, opinions were divided.
Sato was interviewed. (Video screenshot)
Sato, a bachelor in his thirties, would occasionally go to the "one-person karaoke" hall. He said that when there is always a person who wants to sing and decompress, it is very good to have such a "one-person shop".
He stressed that the current single situation is not completely controllable by himself, and it always feels a little wronged to be taxed.
Miyuki was interviewed. (Video screenshot)
Miyuki, who is in her twenties, told reporters that if there is something she particularly wants to eat and the time to ask a friend to go is inappropriate, she will go alone. "Of course it's fun to be with everyone, but it's nice to enjoy your time once in a while."
Although there is no positive response to the "single tax" problem, Miyuki said that due to the serious aging of the recent period, in order to help young people increase the marriage rate, some institutions will create opportunities for them to meet, such as organizing young people who do not know each other to eat and drink together. There are more and more such organizations.
Marina (right) is interviewed. (Video screenshot)
Mariine, a teenage schoolgirl, said: "A person who often goes to eat ramen or watch a movie feels more free, and does not have to determine what time to meet others or where to meet, which is very relaxed." ”
Mariine opposed the "singles tax". "Some people are not single because they can't get married, but because they don't want to get married. If you don't get married, you have to pay taxes, which makes people feel very uncomfortable. ”
Mihae (right) is interviewed. (Video screenshot)
Mikai, Marina's companion, expressed support for the "singles tax." She said: "I always feel that it is happier to have someone to accompany than to be single. (Xinhua International Client)