New pressures imposed by the social wave of digital innovation are changing attitudes to solitude, which has been largely neglected as a positive lifestyle choice.

The singles travelling industry has changed in the last 20 years. Being alone is no longer fuelled by stigma, but young people who want to holiday solo have few options beyond long-haul backpacking and booze-fuelled party trips.

Despite its collectivist traditions, Japan is seeing a rise of individuals who are actively rejecting the company of others. And from one-person karaoke boxes to solo restaurant booths, businesses are adapting to this unconventional customer.

Driven by an increasing sense of loneliness, the concept of a shared house is being adopted by Japan's young singletons. Yet with so many people in Japan struggling with social anxieties, how are these micro-communities forming?