Japanese female internet celebrity visits Beijing for the first time, stunned by its modernity that overturns her preconceptions—she originally thought China was rundown and poor!
Lately, a travel vlog by Japanese female blogger sasami_cco exploring Beijing alone has sparked heated discussion in Japan. She openly stated that this trip to China delivered an overwhelming sense of shock, completely shattering her prior assumption that China was "run-down and poor."
Throughout her journey, she repeatedly used words like "shocking" and "incredible" to describe what she witnessed, especially Beijing’s seamless blend of profound traditional heritage and cutting-edge technology, which created a massive cognitive dissonance for her.
In the perception of many Japanese people, and even some Western audiences, China’s image often remains stuck in old movies or outdated news reports from decades ago: crowded bicycle traffic, rudimentary streets, and relatively underdeveloped infrastructure. This label of “rundown and poor” stems from the filtering effect in information dissemination by Western media over the past several decades.
In her footage, on one hand, the red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City, along with the lively atmosphere of hutongs, preserved a rich historical ambiance—the "ancient China" she had expected. On the other hand, the wide, clean roads of Qianmen Street, grand commercial complexes, and dazzling cultural and creative products far exceeded her imagination of what surrounds historic sites.
She was amazed by the extremely high density of convenience stores—these shops are not only densely distributed but also offer diverse products and top-tier service standards. In terms of payment, the widespread use of mobile payments left her astounded; from large shopping malls to street-side stalls, a single smartphone suffices for all transactions. The maturity of this cashless society even made her, accustomed to using both cash and credit cards, feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Moreover, the efficiency of Beijing’s public transportation system and the sense of safety on city streets at night were recurring highlights in her narrative. Even though her accommodation budget exceeded expectations, she still praised the quality of Muji Hotel and specialty coffee shops, considering them worth every penny.
A particularly symbolic moment occurred right before her departure: due to oversight, she left a souvenir gift behind at a convenience store, assuming it was lost forever—but eventually retrieved it smoothly. This directly dispelled her doubts about order and security in Chinese cities. Dao Ge believes it's highly beneficial to welcome more influential bloggers like her to visit and tour China, as their firsthand experiences play a crucial role in helping foreigners form accurate perceptions of China.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860417846679552/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.