What's it Like for a Foreigner
 

Hello! I'm sure this question has been answered before I did some searching before hand. I want to know the Japanese's view on foreigners and tourists (Americans) when I visit Japan, am I going to be accepted? I am highly social and can't wait to have conversations and drinks and share stories with fun Japanese natives. Are foreigners usually viewed in a positive light by the Japanese? Or are they seen as arrogant and intruding? I'm hoping when I do visit Japan I will meet plenty of fun and interesting people who are accepting of me despite my origin! Any thoughts?

Question number 1: How much Japanese do you speak?

This will have a massive impact on the answers to your questions, to the point that it will be a completely different trip.

Well by the time I visit Japan I hope to be nearly fluent. I am studying the language right now.

To answer your question, I don't think there is any one universal view, but let's assume you are going to go to Tokyo.

In Tokyo you could walk around with your hat on fire, and no one would look at you twice. So as a visitor or tourist you will be accepted, but that is mostly because there are a ton of foreigners living in and visiting Tokyo every day.

In terms of having conversations and sharing drinks, that will all depend on your level of Japanese. Just as I am not really interested in communicating socially with someone who can't speak English or speaks poorly, most Japanese are not looking for foreigners who don't speak Japanese to hang out with. They will almost alway generously help give directions or point out a restroom, but the better your Japanese is, the more social you will be able to be.

It is just a trip I think, you won't plan to live in Janpan forever, so do not worry about that so much.

Some will accept you and some won't, it's the same as anywhere. Being friendly always helps. Have fun.