Just FYI kawaii means cute in Japanese and younger people use it a lot to describe something that’s sweet. But basically because everything is small and cute in Japan they use it a lot. For example these two girls from the video- soon after I stopped filming they started get overexcited about a dog who passed (who wasn’t even that cute) and taking photos and screeching “kawaiiiii”.

Out of all the girls in kimonos that we saw the vast majority of them were with a female friend. This meant they were often colour/pattern coordinated and had the same hairstyles. Some girls were out with their boyfriends and some with groups of girls. Either way, it was only the men that are lone riders here. 

Interestingly society is also adapted for solo/single people. You have places to go out alone, restaurants for single people, you can even go to kareoke alone and get a single person booth. 

And the fact of the matter is it comes in very useful as many people are not looking for a relationship either. Research by the Japan Times found lots of single people in their 20s and 30s have no interest in finding a partner. The number of people married by 50 is also decreasing.

The national birth rate is also low. Women receive no Government support for their children and nursery is much more expensive than an average monthly salary, thus further discouraging women from going to work and putting their baby in care. This only supports the patriarchal system which is so deeply embedded in this culture. It’s not surprising that women are increasingly opting for solo kareoke instead.

And it’s not easy to meet someone here either. You can’t just go to a bar and pick someone up. It’s usually a much more formal process- most Japanese people get introduced through a friend – at a wedding, at a work gathering etc. And with the amount of hours that you work here (most people get paid overtime and remember you’re not allowed to leave before your boss), it’s no surprise that your best bet of finding a partner is your workplace.