Interactions in Japan have deemed themselves to be quite interesting, in my opinion, the longer I have experienced life here. From customer service to the various methods of interactions with different social groups, the Japanese customs of formality and respect run deep.
In Japan, there exists the concepts of honne and tatemae, which essentially describe your “true self” and your “outside self”, or the self you present to society. In order to maintain harmony in social interaction, one may not always present their true opinion or expression to others. This falsehood, in turn, creates a natural sense of distance between individuals. Said distance can also be observed in the lower frequency of physical interaction most Japanese engage in, even with friends. I have noticed that it takes much longer (comparatively to other cultures, like the U.S.) to establish a deep friendship and connection with another person, to the point where friendly, public physical interaction is normal and comfortable for both individuals. This could be reasoned into the notion that Japanese are “more shy.” However, I see this as a living embodiment of the stronger social boundaries that exist in Japanese society in order to maintain a good public image and not disturb the peace of others.
Other examples that create interpersonal distance and more defined social boundaries can be seen within the Japanese language itself. In Japanese, there is keigo, which refers to the honorific way of speech, typically used when speaking with someone of a higher social standing than you (examples of these would be elders, clients, and bosses). Depending on your relationship with the person, the way you speak can change drastically. Your entire vocabulary changes depending on if you’re speaking to your close friend, an acquaintance, a client at your workplace, or an elder on the street. For a non-native speaker who is learning Japanese, these nuances add not just a lot more vocabulary and grammatical lessons, but an entire shift in perspective when it comes to social interaction in this culture. You can tell how someone may feel about your relationship with them not by a direct, verbal expression of such, but indirectly, by the level of formality in their speech and syntax.