A Japanese guy suddenly smiles at you?

Hello,
I went to Japan last month for a vacation with my friends. And well, I found that Japanese oftentimes can stare boldly at people. Especially if those people are foreigners.
(I'm Asian btw, not Japanese. I'm Chinese, and since we're kinda similar in face traits, I think I can disguise myself as a Japanese XD)

So actually, sometimes, I found guys stare at me. And they sometimes are not even shy to be stared back (it depends, though). One thing that made me bewildered, is that when I was waiting for a friend to buy something inside a convenience store, I turned my head to a random direction and found a guy staring at me. And once we stared at each other, he smiled to me! But without knowing to do, I turned my gaze elsewhere.

When I was in Kyoto I also experienced the same. I just happened to turn my head to some random direction and there was this guy just standing there and looking at me with a wide smile. And I stupidly just looked away, feeling kinda awkward (because the guy is kind of cute too...)

I was just wondering if Japanese guys casually smile at a stranger/random girl in public places? But I thought they were shy? And what are we supposed to do if a similar situation happened (when, let's say, you also find you want to smile back)? Since it is Japan, the culture/expectations can be different and I have to admit I'm curious. Perhaps you can enlighten me?

Holy crap, you're reading too much into this. If he smiled at you, then he smiled at you.
It's not like Japanese men are a whole different species!

They know you are foreign tourists because of your talking or behavior, I think?
When I find foreign tourists, I look at them (maybe they want to help) and if they look at me, I smile at them (I welcome them).
It's natural.

I think you are too self-conscious.
Many Japanese men would stare at young Japanese girls. I don't know much about the smiling part though.

Chinese looking girl who was speaking some English was good enough to get an attention
in public places.

The way you looked back was different from
most of Japanese women, so he must have embarrassed and gave you a look that you took as smiling.

Sorry about my mistake.
" he must have embarassed"��"he must have been embarrassed"

Japan is different from your country. Japan is more peaceful. It is unnecessary to show anger or to be suspicious to others.

You're reading too much into it. I get smiles all the time when I'm there XD People I ran across are freindly there. I also get stared at, but maybe because I'm a foreigner. So stop being so self conscious. Or you want us to say something like " oh maybe you're beautiful/interest in you" lol

So far, most if not all the posters responding here seem to be boys. As a Japanese girl (okay, former girl, since I'm 52), when boys stare and smile at your like the way you discribe it, they're interested in you in one way or another.

In other words, you were particularly cute or particularly flashy or particularly bizarre. Apparently, you were young.

I don't think Japanese are shy at all . I thought so at first. They are very freindly. I visit there frequently because my boyfreind lives there. I do get smiles and stare from both sex, I smiled back. They can tell I'm a foreigner. I'm part Asian and European. When I got lost, they helped me and walked me to my destination. I get helped to cary my items at the store ( I didn't see any basket and carried my items clumsily looking meccha baka probably). They complemented me openly that I'm cute, I smiled that's all. Which irritates my boyfreind when it's from a guy. Like uco said, they might be interested in you one way or another.