There is this stereotype that Japanese people do not like physical contact with other people, because in their culture you don't shake hands - you just bow.
We have this same stereotype about Swedish people too apparently, and to be honest I was kind of happy to be going somewhere where people wouldn't touch me.
But from different experiences I've come to realize that Japanese people really don't mind touching another person, even if they barely know them.
I went to Universal Studios alone one time and there I would get paired up with around 2-3 other people that hade come in a group, that I would go in the same ride as, and almost all these people started talking to me and were really nice.
One person acutally put their hand on my shoulder and asked me if I was half Japanese just because I could speak the language. Did they need to touch me? No. But they did I suppose out of habit, even though they didn't even know me and we had barely spoken. They just didn't mind, they were fine with it.
But what got me to think about this was really what happened yesterday in class. Our croquis teacher told us to measure our legs from the highest point of the inside of your thigh. So basically we were supposed to measure from very near where our "private parts" are. The teacher told us to do it in pairs but I was just like "Wtf, anyone could do that by themselves. Anyway, I don't want anyone else doing it!"
Before I could get my own measuring tape one of my classmate had already come up to me and said "Here, I will measure for you!" and they tried to start going from up to down but I quickly told them off, saying I could do it myself, haha.
So I measured it myself, while other people measured eachother without any problems. Especially one pair of two people that seem to have become good friends did not at all mind nearing eachothers "private parts" with both hands and measuring tape. One of them, that wore shorts pulled them up as high as possible so that the other one of them could measure more easily.
Next we were supposed to measure our thighs circumference, which you apparenly also measure very near that same area. Now the same classmate as before came up to me and asked if I could measure it for them, but I just told them that they could do it themselves. When I didn't do it they asked the teacher, who did it.
I really do not think this would've played out the same way with Swedish students. They would probably, like me, think that this is too close. Too much.
But yea, the Japanese seemed very comfortable with it!
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One of my classmates started after some weeks to touch me when I least expect it. They try to tickle me and stuff.
Several times when I have been wearing shortsleeved shirts they jump out and tickle my armpit and I really don't like it! (Especially not the armpit, that's gross xD)
Now I feel like I can't relax around them because if they see me dozing off or just look away for a moment they will come with a surprise attack and I don't want that!!
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Another instance was one lesson where that same person started touching my hair without even asking first and then told some of our other classmates to come touch it too. And suddenly I had a group of Japanese people touching my hair unannounced, lol.
Again, I don't think that would happen in Sweden, people would atleast ask for permission first unless it's someone you know really well, like, your very best friend!
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One last thing! If you have seen anime you probably know about the infamous "boob grab" that sometimes occur. One person sneaks up on another and grab their boobs from behind, sorta like that. Well I always see that and think "That is the most stupid thing I've ever seen! People don't do shit like this!". Buuut, one of my Japanese friends do do it to some of my none Japanese friends, and they also say that them and their friends do it to eachother for fun!
Still not sure if this is a common thing in Japan or not but it seems like it is in fact happening in real life and maybe that's why they use it so much in manga and anime too?
Anyway, did not expect this in Japan, but atleast now with my own experience I can look past what stereotypes say and get my own view of things, and I am very happy about that!
