Japanese internet users spark heated discussion with a casually snapped photo of rural Zhejiang
Japanese traveler Kōsuke Fujita, traveling from Shanghai to the countryside outside Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, posted a photo taken spontaneously upon getting off the car on X, which quickly became a trending topic on the platform. As of June 7, the post by Fujita (@mdfujita) had garnered 23,000 likes.
Many comments echoed almost identically: "For a moment I thought I was in Japan" and "It looks just like Japanese residential architecture."
The scene captured in an instant is an ordinary rural landscape from Zhejiang Province, China. Fujita, the original poster, said: "The scenery here reminds me of homes in Japan—so captivating that I couldn’t help but stare longer!"
Fujita set out early that morning, driving approximately 250 kilometers to reach a mountain foothill area just outside Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
"When I parked the car and stepped out, the view in the photo immediately came into sight. It felt exactly like standing in front of a traditional Japanese house—I was genuinely surprised. Nowadays, such rural housing designs are so beautifully crafted and visually pleasing."
Below the post, numerous comments poured in: "The scenery looks just like Japan." "This is exactly the route I passed every day during high school." "From the color of the sky and vegetation to the asphalt road, everything carries a distinctly Japanese vibe." "Buildings in regions with similar climates tend to look alike."
Responding to the online buzz, Fujita wrote: "The Jiangnan region of China—cities like Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou—has four distinct seasons and a rainy season, very much like Japan. The vegetables grown here are familiar, and the mountain landscapes resemble those back home. Seeing these views filled me with deep familiarity. I truly hope everyone can come and experience it firsthand."
"Although this is a foreign country, this scene evoked a sense of nostalgia. Perhaps this feeling of having seen it before is precisely what makes travel so rewarding."
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867310297865228/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.