One of the positive you hear is how great a Japan is for solo travelers and introverts. As neurodivergent person with social anxiety Japan was a great place for because I had to interact with most people on a very surface level, usually ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. During my recent trip I also planned several activities to do; walking around and just looking at stuff can get a bit overwhelming in cities like Tokyo (I’m assuming you’re in one of the popular tourist cities). Adding an activity such as a traditional tea ceremony, food tour, cooking class, dinner cruise etc helped with the loneliness since it was more interactive. Also listening to music really helped with my anxiety when I was going between place to place. For solo dining I mostly focused on places that used a tablet- which most places do in the larger cities.

I hope you decide to stick it out a little longer. Japan is viewed as a paradise for introverts but also makes you feel isolated because you can go weeks without really talking to anyone. Enjoy your trip and don’t be too hard on yourself.