Riding in Japan

So whats it like riding around Japan as a Gaijin (foreigner).

As I'm riding around all day the Japanese mostly ignore me or they stare at me with an expressionless look on their face. In Japan staring is not rude like it is in the US. Japanese people stare because they are curious about what I am doing or where I am from. Not because they are being rude. Sometimes while waiting at a traffic light Ill turn my head and catch every single person around me staring at me. Some Japanese people wave at me from the safety of their car. I say `safety` because Japanese people are basically scared of me. I can see it in their eyes. I try to help ease their fears by waving and smiling at them as much as possible. I also make an effort to talk to them first so that they see that I'm no wild animal with a tail. Most Japanese people have little or no contact with non-Japanese people. They basically have great fear of the unknown. Several times during the day I even see a few people with an ASTONISHED!(see photo) look on their face. Its so funny. As if I were a black space alien riding a bicycle loaded with camping gear. Nevertheless, I always try and wave or say hello to kids. They seem so happy that I said hello to them. I hear them tell their friends `did you hear that? He said hi to me!` . Anyway, Japan is the ideal place for those who are a little anti-social or introverted. As long as you are not standing on the wrong side of the escalator or buying something, almost know one speaks to you. This has kind of been a let down on this trip. I like to meet people and share stories. I'm in a country with 150 million Japanese people but all I run into are other Gaijin.