Humans are very social creatures. Because of this, we generally prefer doing things with others rather than by ourselves. This is particularly true in Japanese culture, where __1__ have traditionally been expected to take part in activities as a member of a group. However, this __2__ has begun to change in recent years with the rise of “super solo” culture.
As the name suggests, this trend refers to people doing things on their own rather than with other people. Perhaps the most common of these activities is __3__. In the past, it was actually considered embarrassing or even __4__ to be seen eating alone in a restaurant or workplace cafeteria. This is no longer the case. In fact, it’s now common to see restaurants and noodle shops that provide __5__ for single diners. There are even pubs and karaoke establishments that cater to singles. In Japan these days, it’s not surprising to see people camping, hiking, or going to a movie by themselves.
There are a number of factors that have __6__ to the rise of the “super solo” trend. Since fewer and fewer people are getting married and having children nowadays, the number of single-person householdsis on the rise. It’s __7__ that within the next two decades, about half of the population will be living alone. People living alone generally have more __8__ pressure since they are unable to share living expenses with roommates or family members. This means they may have to work longer hours, which leaves them less time to do things with others. By serving this growing market sector, restaurants and other __9__ have begun to normalize the nation’s solo consumers.
Despite the rise of “super solo” culture, Japan still remains a largelycollective society with __10__ values. Attitudes towards how people should live their lives have been gradually changing, though. For now, it seems the number of people “going solo” will continue to rise.
