On July 27, 2026, a post titled "Moved by an unknown grandmother" on China's SNS, Xiaohongshu (RED), garnered a significant response from Chinese netizens.

The poster, who appears to reside in Japan, wrote: "On my way home from school in the afternoon, an unfamiliar grandmother suddenly called out to me from behind. At first, I didn't realize I was being called. Perhaps because I wasn't using a parasol, she said, 'It's very hot today, so buy some water to drink,' took a 1000 yen bill from her wallet, and pressed it into my hand."

She then explained, "I found it very strange and tried to return it, saying, 'I have water and money, so I can buy it myself,' but the grandmother wouldn't accept it and refused repeatedly. After a brief back-and-forth, I could only eventually say 'Thank you.'"

She concluded, "This was the first time something like this had happened. The series of interactions, which lasted less than two minutes, was so sudden that I was bewildered the entire time. I was confused as I didn't know why she called out to me, but it was certainly an incident where I felt kindness from a stranger." The poster also uploaded a video showing the grandmother's back and the 1000 yen bill she received.

In response to this post, Chinese netizens commented: "I'm touched somehow," "Japanese people are kind, aren't they?", "I think the most beautiful scenery in Japan is its people," and "I truly believe it's a society with a high level of civilization. There's a good reason why it's one of the top countries in the world for passport convenience."

In addition, personal experiences were shared, such as: "An older woman who made eye contact with me on the train once gave me a candy," "A grandmother gave my friend and me dango, and even wiped our hands with a tissue. She was a truly kind grandmother," and "I've also encountered a Japanese grandmother trying to buy juice for a child."

Furthermore, a comment analyzing the situation was posted: "In Japan, I like chatting with grandfathers and grandmothers from the Showa era. Everyone is kind and sincere, and many also hold anti-war views. Moreover, since they are a generation that experienced the period of rapid economic growth, many are relatively well-off, and it's like 'the more leeway people have, the kinder they can be to others,' so they are kind to foreigners too. At least, they seem friendlier than younger people." (Translation/Editing: Iwata)