For many foreigners visiting Japan, social interactions can feel… distant. A polite bow instead of a handshake, a quiet dinner without much small talk, or the feeling that even friendly people keep you at arm’s length. But what feels like emotional coldness is, in fact, something much more nuanced—and deeply respectful. At the heart of Japanese human relationships lie two essential concepts: hedataru (隔たる) and najimu (馴染む). These words are more than just vocabulary—they des
