A Chinese woman's memoir titled 'I almost couldn't get into the hotel on my first trip to Japan' was published on China's SNS, Xiaohongshu (RED). The woman uploaded a total of 14 photos, including those of Narita Airport station, the Yamanote Line, the streets of Tokyo, her hotel room, and a yakiniku restaurant where she ate. The following is the content of the memoir:

It was my first time coming to Japan alone. It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous. When I arrived at Narita Airport in the afternoon and stepped outside, I was a little confused. Everywhere I looked, I only saw Japanese. There was a limousine bus ticket counter right nearby, but I decided to take the Skyliner because it felt more predictable. After getting off in the city center, I transferred to a train. The train was very easy to navigate; I just needed to check the station numbers and compare them with the route displayed on Google Maps. Up until this point, I felt like 'I can manage this on my own.'

However, a problem occurred during hotel check-in. The hotel had no front desk and was entirely self-check-in. I tried facial recognition many times, but all failed. After struggling for about 20 minutes, I was truly panicking, not knowing the room number or the PIN. Helpless, I called out to a high school student who happened to be walking by and asked for help. He didn't seem very good at English either, so we communicated bit by bit using a translation app. He also operated the check-in machine for a while but couldn't solve it, so he called over a classmate who was passing by. Then, one by one, more people joined.

One person checked my reservation information, another examined the check-in terminal, and yet another reviewed my chat history with online customer support. Someone even knocked on the closed front desk door to see if there was any staff. Before I knew it, about 7-8 people had gathered in the not-so-spacious lobby, all diligently working to solve my check-in problem.

The scene was a bit funny because they were all wearing black uniforms and carrying black backpacks. But at the same time, it was also very moving. However, the awkwardness of repeatedly trying facial recognition while being watched by so many people was quite something. Ultimately, the one who solved the problem was the most mischievous-looking male student. He bypassed facial recognition, found the room number from the reservation link, and successfully checked me in. At that moment, I felt truly relieved. I had been worried that I might have to drag my large suitcase around to find another accommodation. It felt less like checking into a hotel and more like clearing a difficult stage in a game.

As soon as I entered the room, the previous hustle and bustle quieted down as if it were a lie. The room was very clean and equipped with a microwave and a small stove on the table. It had the atmosphere of a student apartment (repurposed as a hotel). Around it were rows of two-story houses, giving it a very lived-in feel.

There was also a convenience store nearby, and I could shop using my Suica (IC card). I went to Don Quijote and bought a charger and other items; they really had everything. In the evening, I wandered into a nearby drinking district and had dinner at a yakiniku restaurant there. After a few bites, I suddenly thought, 'This trip might have been worth it.' The first day was quite different from what I had expected. That's why each moment when a problem was solved left a very strong impression on me. (Translation and editing/Kitada)