Concluding my 1 and a half years of study in the UK, I planned to travel alone somewhere else before I got stuck with possible work. I chose Japan to run away from the hustle and bustle of China, as in my mind, Japan is quite similar to the UK in terms of manners; they constantly apologise because they do not want to bother other people and tend to keep strangers at a distance to show respect.
在英国学习了一年半，我计划独自去别的地方旅行，然后再被可能的工作困住。 我选择日本来逃避中国的喧嚣，因为在我的脑海中，日本在礼仪上与英国非常相似；他们不断道歉，因为他们不想打扰其他人，并倾向于让陌生人保持距离以示尊重。
However, when I arrived in Tokyo, standing in the infamous Shinjuku, I felt I could hardly breathe. I had never thought it could be this hard for Chinese people to travel in Japan. Yes, we have similar characters; I am even learning Japanese, however, the truth is, it is a totally different language. It also turns out that I found it much easier to travel in the UK than in Japan, because language is no problem at all. The intricate metro lines in Tokyo always confuse me, and it is awkward to ask for help with my limited Japanese; another failure of a conversation. Trains are divided into “normal”, “fast”, “express”, etc. With fast trains skipping some of the stations, it is easy to take the wrong train.
然而，当我到达东京时，站在臭名昭著的新宿，我感到几乎无法呼吸。 我从未想过中国人在日本旅行会这么难。 是的，我们有相似的字符；我甚至在学习日语，然而，事实是，它是一种完全不同的语言。 事实证明，我发现在英国旅行比在日本容易得多，因为语言一点问题都没有。 东京错综复杂的地铁线总是让我感到困惑，用我有限的日语寻求帮助很尴尬；谈话的又一次失败。 火车分为“普通”、“快速”、“快车”等。 由于快速列车跳过了一些车站，很容易坐错火车。
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However, accommodation is easy to arrange. While hostels may always the last choice for Chinese, as sleeping in a shared area is seen as inconvenient and uncomfortable for young women, in actual fact, they are the best way to make friends and become engaged in a different culture. International travellers have also pointed out how safe it can be when traveling in Japan; public transportation and hostels offering female-only spaces. I stayed in Wise Owl Hostels, 10 mins walk from Shibuya Station. Their extraordinary cleaning service and public facilities polished up my hostel experience and it was pleasurable to meet people who share the same values as I, bursting with curiosity for the world.
然而，住宿很容易安排。 虽然旅馆可能一直是中国人的最后选择，因为睡在公共区域对年轻女性来说不方便和不舒服，但事实上，它们是交朋友和参与不同文化的最佳方式。 國際旅行者也指出，在日本旅行有多安全；公共交通和旅馆提供女性专用空间。 我住在Wise Owl Hostels，距离涩谷站步行10分钟。 他们非凡的清洁服务和公共设施完善了我的旅馆体验，很高兴见到与我有相同价值观的人，对世界充满好奇心。
Travelling alone means to conquer the continuous emptiness and loneliness by oneself, though I found it normal to be alone in Japan. Some ramen restaurants have set up fences to separate customers; customers finish their dishes as fast as they can. I have read that 50 percent of Japanese population will be single until 2035, since the pressure of establishing a family scares them off. My new friend, Remi, told me, “People here now start to find other ways to fulfil themselves than getting married”. I witnessed some retired people volunteering in tourist spots, as a kind of solitary celibacy extends across this land.
独自旅行意味着独自征服持续的空虚和孤独，尽管我发现在日本独自一人是正常的。 一些拉面店设置了栅栏来分隔顾客；顾客尽可能快地吃完菜。 我读到过，到2035年，50%的日本人口将单身，因为组建家庭的压力让他们感到害怕。 我的新朋友Remi告诉我：“这里的人们现在开始寻找其他方式来满足自己，而不是结婚。” 我目睹了一些退休人员在旅游景点做志愿者，因为这种孤独的独身生活蔓延到这片土地上。
It is never news that working pressure in Japan can be extremely overwhelming; on Saturday morning, I witnessed commuters staggering back home, looking exhausted. Hanging out around the centre of Tokyo, white-collar workers, known as “working robots” wearing their universal suits, are always to be found.
在日本，工作压力会非常大，这从来都不是新闻；周六早上，我目睹了通勤者踉踉跄跄地回家，看起来精疲力尽。 在东京市中心闲逛，白领工人，被称为“工作机器人”，身穿通用服，总能找到。
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After their work, they are asked to socialise with colleagues. Drinking alcohol may be appealing for the boss, a phenomenon that can also be found in China, while also in both countries, changes are now to be seen whereby young people are starting to reject such a socialising pattern, reckoning it as “meaningless or time-wasting”. Young Japanese today believe they need more private time for themselves, instead of talking about business in the name of drinking alcohol.
工作结束后，他们被要求与同事进行社交。 饮酒可能对老板有吸引力，这种现象在中国也可以发现，而在这两个国家，现在可以看到变化，年轻人开始拒绝这种社交模式，认为它“毫无意义或浪费时间”。 今天的日本年轻人认为，他们需要更多的私人时间，而不是以喝酒的名义谈论生意。
Yet, when it comes once again to manners and service, Japan is tops. After being spoiled by the UK’s caring service, I can barely get used to the Chinese way of serving people with an aggressive tone and indifferent face. In Japan, a Kimono-clad waitress went down on her knees and in a soft tone introduced us as how to eat each dish. After the meal, she kept bowing to us until I had walked some 300 metres distant.
然而，再次在礼仪和服务方面，日本是顶尖的。 在被英国的关怀服务宠坏了之后，我几乎无法习惯中国人用咄咄逼人的语气和冷漠的面孔为人们服务的方式。 在日本，一位穿着和服的女服务员跪了下来，用柔和的语气向我们介绍了如何吃每道菜。 饭后，她一直向我们鞠躬，直到我走了大约300米。
My third time in Japan, but the first alone; my impression now with a deeper understanding into the lives of people, thanks to my local guide. There may be serious living pressures, but I am still impressed how people are treated, making me wonder as to what we should do to make a better life for people in my country.
我第三次来日本，但第一次独自来日本；多亏了我当地的导游，我现在对人们的生活有了更深入的了解。 可能存在严重的生活压力，但我仍然对人们的待遇印象深刻，这让我想知道我们应该做些什么来让我的国家人民过上更好的生活。
