Japan is a country of customs and culture. One particular trait the Japanese have is their clannish and nationalistic character where they usually keep to themselves and their own. Although not widely practiced, the idea of a Japanese girl dating a foreign man is not unknown.  But with all the cultural differences and barriers, a lot of mixed couples seemed to have overcome the hurdles with love. It’s not easy, but it is doable.

Public Displays of Affection to a Japanese Girl

Now, a western girl would most probably melt into mush if you appeared in the middle of a crowd with a musical instrument (ranging from guitars, violins, to boom boxes) in a romantic gesture of serenade. But this would prove horrific to a Japanese girl. She will find it embarrassing and might not even be pleased with the effort it took to learn that awesome ballad for your grand romantic gesture. If you’re thinking of a grand, public square overture, just don’t. You might end up losing your chance.

 

The Japanese are very smart. Of course, these folks know, from books, media, and the internet, that Western culture and their own differ like night and day, she would most definitely appreciate efforts to help her understand why some gestures are supposed to be accepted as amazing and an effort as well to understand why she may think it’s absurd.

 

Cultural Perceptions

A Japanese girl will also have some wrong perceptions and understanding of the western culture. You have to understand, get their info from magazines, media, and the net, and as we all have learned, one does not simply believe everything on the internet. But alas, most of her first-hand knowledge comes from these (most especially in movies).  Though one ought to be thankful, at least she won’t be surprised if you tried a little PDA (public display of affection) on her, just keep it to a minimum, again, she might get embarrassed.

 

Gender Norms

In Japan, it is still customary for the males to be served first. It’s not an issue of gender equality; it’s just a norm that has evolved from centuries of gender inequality. Confused yet?  The reason behind this is that the Japanese are very routine-ary. They usually stick to routines and customs. Thus, men get served first. But she is aware that you are used to letting the lady go first. For this, all you need is a happy compromise wherein both parties can be comfortable.

 

Time and Punctuality

Time and punctuality are very important to a Japanese girl. These girls have been raised in a society that highly values time and takes the saying “time is gold” to a whole new level. Did you know that the shinkansen (bullet train) is punctual to the last second? So if you don’t want to have your Japanese girlfriend bailing on you like ice cream on a summer pavement, be sure to be always on time, and if not on-the-dot on time> at least you get to learn a lot for my change,

 

But not to worry, every relationship has its starting bumps. Once you get over the highest hill on the land, then any problem thrown at you will be a cake walk.