As the other commenters note, this is part of what it means to be a minority; internalizing this is one of the personal benefits of extended travel. That said,

As the other commenters note, this is part of what it means to be a minority; internalizing this is one of the personal benefits of extended travel. That said, a lot of people go through this when they're new to Japan. People are so unusually polite/friendly that it makes you self-conscious of your own habits. Eventually you become more familiar with what you're seeing, and you're able to relax and be yourself. I think it took me about six months to stop worrying about offending people -- perhaps not coincidentally, this is when it became easier to make Japanese friends. (Also, it's essential in order to learn the language. You have to be willing to barge ahead with communication, regardless of politeness. This is still a challenge for me.)