There’s one thing to be lonely, celebrating it in the name of the culture of a country in another, and this is what Japan’s Bocchi culture is all about. Bocchi, a Japanese slang expression for aloneness or loneliness have become quite famous in Japan for people to poke fun at themselves, express a sense of isolation, or a little of both.

Japan widely allows bocchi culture, which simply means living and eating alone. Some restaurants in the country are even designed for eating in silence. There are even various forms of entertainment that seek to replace real social connections with paid or virtual substitutes.&nbsp;

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People in Japan, especially nature lovers seem to embrace the bocchi lifestyle with pride. But this strange amusing way to loneliness is the epidemic of loneliness affecting up to 40 per cent of Japanese people.&nbsp;

<h2>What is Japan’s bocchi culture?</h2>

The word bocchi is short for hitoribocchi, from hitori (one person) and bocchi, a word derived from another Japanese word houshi (Buddhist priest). While these origins seem to have some Zen connotations, the modern-day word has an essence that is a more pathetic kind of loneliness.&nbsp;

Bocchi can be used to express sadness about being alone, but it can also be used in a humorous, self-deprecating way. The word can be used with many other words to form humours expressions like bocchi meshi (eating alone), bocchi ramen (eating ramen alone) and similar foodie examples that are especially popular.

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One popular example of bocchi’s more tongue-in-cheek usage is the term kuribocchi. The kuri is short for kurisumasu (Christmas).&nbsp;

In Japan, Christmas is not a day traditionally spent with family, but a romantic holiday similar to Valentine’s Day. So referring to oneself as kuribocchi is a way of highlighting that you are dateless or single on this day of love.&nbsp;

<h2>How does Japan enable bocchi lifestyle?</h2>

Japan’s loneliness is no joke. The number of lonely deaths in elderly people is a staggering 68,000 each year. To address these troubling statistics, the Japanese government appointed its first Minister of Loneliness in 2021. But, on the other hand, several aspects of Japanese culture and infrastructure support and enable a solitary way of life.&nbsp;

In Japanese cities, single people tend to live alone, including university students. Sharing a home with a friend or housemate is unusual in the country, and living with a partner before marriage is much less common. But loners in Japan are well-catered to in daily life, instead of being asked to share their lives with someone.

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Most restaurant chains offer plenty of single-occupant counter seats, while private internet and manga cafe rooms are designed with individual customers in mind. The country’s infamous host and hostess bars also provide paid company in the absence of a genuine date.

Many forms of Japanese entertainment are also designed to appeal to lonely consumers. The Japanese idol industry encourages para-social relationships between artists and fans. Online games known as dating sims, in which the player aims to woo a virtual love interest, are popular for both men and women.&nbsp;

It can be concluded that&nbsp;these trends might encourage isolation for individuals who aren’t otherwise socially outgoing.

(With inputs from agencies)

There’s one thing to be lonely, celebrating it in the name of the culture of a country in another, and this is what Japan’s Bocchi culture is all about. Bocchi, a Japanese slang expression for aloneness or loneliness have become quite famous in Japan for people to poke fun at themselves, express a sense of isolation, or a little of both.

There’s one thing to be lonely, celebrating it in the name of the culture of a country in another, and this is what Japan’s Bocchi culture is all about. Bocchi, a Japanese slang expression for aloneness or loneliness have become quite famous in Japan for people to poke fun at themselves, express a sense of isolation, or a little of both. Japan widely allows bocchi culture, which simply means living and eating alone. Some restaurants in the country are even designed for eating in silence. There are even various forms of entertainment that seek to replace real social connections with paid or virtual substitutes. Also Read | Will you live beyond 100? Unlikely, warn scientists who see longevity falling in areas known for centenarians People in Japan, especially nature lovers seem to embrace the bocchi lifestyle with pride. But this strange amusing way to loneliness is the epidemic of loneliness affecting up to 40 per cent of Japanese people. What is Japan’s bocchi culture? The word bocchi is short for hitoribocchi, from hitori (one person) and bocchi, a word derived from another Japanese word houshi (Buddhist priest). While these origins seem to have some Zen connotations, the modern-day word has an essence that is a more pathetic kind of loneliness. Bocchi can be used to express sadness about being alone, but it can also be used in a humorous, self-deprecating way. The word can be used with many other words to form humours expressions like bocchi meshi (eating alone), bocchi ramen (eating ramen alone) and similar foodie examples that are especially popular. Also Read | Therapy for children? Why early conversation around mental health is important One popular example of bocchi’s more tongue-in-cheek usage is the term kuribocchi. The kuri is short for kurisumasu (Christmas). In Japan, Christmas is not a day traditionally spent with family, but a romantic holiday similar to Valentine’s Day. So referring to oneself as kuribocchi is a way of highlighting that you are dateless or single on this day of love. How does Japan enable bocchi lifestyle? Japan’s loneliness is no joke. The number of lonely deaths in elderly people is a staggering 68,000 each year. To address these troubling statistics, the Japanese government appointed its first Minister of Loneliness in 2021. But, on the other hand, several aspects of Japanese culture and infrastructure support and enable a solitary way of life. In Japanese cities, single people tend to live alone, including university students. Sharing a home with a friend or housemate is unusual in the country, and living with a partner before marriage is much less common. But loners in Japan are well-catered to in daily life, instead of being asked to share their lives with someone. Also Read | What are ADHD and adult ADHD? Health care experts warn against self-diagnosis Most restaurant chains offer plenty of single-occupant counter seats, while private internet and manga cafe rooms are designed with individual customers in mind. The country’s infamous host and hostess bars also provide paid company in the absence of a genuine date. Many forms of Japanese entertainment are also designed to appeal to lonely consumers. The Japanese idol industry encourages para-social relationships between artists and fans. Online games known as dating sims, in which the player aims to woo a virtual love interest, are popular for both men and women. It can be concluded that these trends might encourage isolation for individuals who aren’t otherwise socially outgoing. (With inputs from agencies)

What is bocchi culture of Japan that enables loner's lifestyle or social isolation among people?

Nearly 1.5 million Japanese people of working age are keeping a solitary living, that is they are living as social loners. The revelations related to the reclusive sense of being of young Japanese people came in a government survey and showed increasingly thinning demographic realities of Japan.&nbsp;

People who avoid social contact are called Hikikomori in Japan. Hikikomori account for 2 per cent of people aged 15-62, the survey found.

<h2>Relationship issues, career woes: Why Japanese are choosing social isolation?</h2>

The government survey said that large number of Hikikomori started stepping back from mainstream society due to relationship issues and after losing or leaving their jobs.&nbsp;

A fifth of the surveyed people said that their self-isolation&nbsp;sense of being came from changes in lifestyle due to Covid pandemic.

The cabinet office surveyed 30,000 people between the ages of 10 and 69 across Japan last November. The poll found that just over a fifth of respondents aged 15-39 had been socially isolated from six months to less than a year. More than 20 per cent said they had experienced problems with interpersonal relationships, while just over 18 per cent cited the pandemic.

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Among people in the 40-64 age range, 44.5 per cent said their behaviour had been triggered by leaving their jobs, followed by 20.6 per cent who cited the pandemic.

Recognising the challenge of increasing social isolation among youngsters, some local authorities have stepped up.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Japan represents the epitome of honesty

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Edogawa, a ward in Tokyo, said that it will hold metaverse socialising events from June to give hikikomori the opportunity to meet people via their avatars.

The ward is reportedly home to more than 9,000 people, including students who have stopped attending classes, some of whom describe themselves as hikikomori.

"We don’t think everything will be solved just because we offer a metaverse. It’ll probably be helpful for some people," the ward’s mayor, Takeshi Saito, told the Mainichi Shimbun. "We are targeting those who can’t leave their rooms and haven’t been interacting with other people. We want to help them take a step forward."

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Nearly 1.5 million Japanese people of working age are keeping a solitary living, that is they are living as social loners. The revelations related to the reclusive sense of being of young Japanese people came in a government survey and showed increasingly thinning demographic realities of Japan.

Nearly 1.5 million Japanese people of working age are keeping a solitary living, that is they are living as social loners. The revelations related to the reclusive sense of being of young Japanese people came in a government survey and showed increasingly thinning demographic realities of Japan. People who avoid social contact are called Hikikomori in Japan. Hikikomori account for 2 per cent of people aged 15-62, the survey found. Relationship issues, career woes: Why Japanese are choosing social isolation? The government survey said that large number of Hikikomori started stepping back from mainstream society due to relationship issues and after losing or leaving their jobs. A fifth of the surveyed people said that their self-isolation sense of being came from changes in lifestyle due to Covid pandemic. The cabinet office surveyed 30,000 people between the ages of 10 and 69 across Japan last November. The poll found that just over a fifth of respondents aged 15-39 had been socially isolated from six months to less than a year. More than 20 per cent said they had experienced problems with interpersonal relationships, while just over 18 per cent cited the pandemic. ALSO READ | Japan’s ‘naked hermit’ who spent around 30 years on tropical island alone returns for final farewell Among people in the 40-64 age range, 44.5 per cent said their behaviour had been triggered by leaving their jobs, followed by 20.6 per cent who cited the pandemic. Recognising the challenge of increasing social isolation among youngsters, some local authorities have stepped up. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: Japan represents the epitome of honesty × Edogawa, a ward in Tokyo, said that it will hold metaverse socialising events from June to give hikikomori the opportunity to meet people via their avatars. The ward is reportedly home to more than 9,000 people, including students who have stopped attending classes, some of whom describe themselves as hikikomori. "We don’t think everything will be solved just because we offer a metaverse. It’ll probably be helpful for some people," the ward’s mayor, Takeshi Saito, told the Mainichi Shimbun. "We are targeting those who can’t leave their rooms and haven’t been interacting with other people. We want to help them take a step forward." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Japan's loneliness crisis has nearly 1.5 million social loners

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What is bocchi culture of Japan that enables loner's lifestyle or social isolation among people?

Japan's loneliness crisis has nearly 1.5 million social loners