On the 21st, a memoir by a 20-year-old Chinese woman who returned from a trip to Japan was posted on China's SNS Xiaohongshu (RED). The content of the memoir, titled "Personal Impressions," is as follows.

Japan was very safe. Before going, I was worried about encountering dangerous situations and avoided speaking Chinese in public places. However, during my 10-day trip, I didn't encounter any "collision gangs" (ぶつかり族) nor was I discriminated against for speaking Chinese. On the contrary, most of the people I met were very friendly. What left a deep impression on me was when we got lost in the subway, a kind Japanese person guided us to the (target) ticket gate. They watched over us until we entered and found the correct train, which deeply moved me.

In Japan, it's better to stay away from Chinese people, especially Chinese store clerks. While shopping at a large drug store, a Chinese clerk approached me and spoke to me. I was flatly told that the face mask I wanted to buy was "not available," and instead, another product costing 15,000 yen was recommended. I made an excuse and left the spot, but as I was leaving, I caught a glimpse of the face mask I had wanted to buy.

At another drug store, after ignoring the solicitations of a Chinese clerk for a while, I heard them muttering in Chinese from behind, "They're not buying the products we recommend." At a discount store in Shinsaibashi, when I asked a middle-aged female clerk about Instax film, I was met with an obvious cold stare.

Conversely, I've never been persistently recommended products by Japanese clerks, and they are very kind in helping me find what I'm looking for. At a drug store in Shinsaibashi, I was already intending to buy, but a Japanese clerk asked me if I wanted to try the mascara color and brought the product. Furthermore, they even let me try the color of the makeup base, and when the tester ran out, they brought out a new one. I had a pleasant shopping experience at that store and spent about 1,000 yuan (approximately 23,000 yen).

Furthermore, Japan's cities are truly clean, and I wasn't exposed to secondhand smoke (in Shanghai, parking lots and taxi stands are unavoidably smoky right upon arrival). There's no trash or fallen leaves at all. On the subway, the rule "letting people off first, then people boarding" is always observed, and when shopping, people always line up properly. Even Shanghai (in China) doesn't manage this aspect properly.

However, there are also some points to be aware of. The subway can be a bit difficult. Large stations, in particular, are complicated, and you always need to carefully check which train you're taking. There are also quite a few cash-only stores. Being able to speak simple English helps avoid communication problems. Furthermore, Instax film is genuinely hard to come by; I visited about 30 stores in Osaka and Tokyo and finally managed to get two boxes. I hope resellers (転売ヤー) are eradicated, and everyone improves their personal qualities. What needs to become stronger is not only the country but also the personal qualities and manners of each individual. (Translation/Editing by Kitada)