I knew coming to Japan that I would have to be open to how others viewed the world we live in. I anticipated different idea about food, religion and lifestyles. What I never anticipated, however, was the simple difference in how people meet and bond! It has been an eye-opening experience for me to learn that there is a difference in perspective between Japanese and American approaches to relationships.
Before I came to Japan, I had a perception that Japanese people entered relationships very quickly. My aunts and uncles would tease and tell me not to come home with a Japanese husband after my year abroad; I would always laugh along with them. It wasn't until recently that I learned of the vast differences between Japanese views of dating versus what I had known all my life. The way many people date in Japan is more complicated than I knew. My friends had to explain to me the varying stages of dating.
In Japan, the first stage of relationships is called ki ni naru (literally: to become interested). This is the stage where many Americans would say they are "talking" to someone. After this is the second stage called tsukiau (literally: to keep company), which is a form of casual dating.
