Head patting in Japanese culture

Can any Japanese natives here enlighten me on this?

When a Japanese guy pats/ruffles your head (it feels a bit like a massage on the scalp and neck area sometimes), what does it mean?

A Japanese boy that I like did this twice to me recently. Once was a soft pat on the head and he told me he will send me home. The other time was when my key chain broke and I made a sad face so he started ruffling my head.

I'm asian as well, but I've never really experience this in my culture. Usually it's only done to a child in my culture but Japanese manga/anime/drama tend to show the guys doing this to the girls. Is this usual in real life as well? He's 2 years younger than me if that matters.

I know this is not a forum to be asking about relationship stuff, but it's pretty much the best site out there in terms of English speaking people with Japanese culture knowledge.

I know the patting one's head is a very bad manner in some Asian countries, but it is not a common knowledge in Japan. Among boys and girls, patting/ruffling one's head is a usual action, means the one feels the others like a family. Certainly, he likes you.

Sounds like bullying. How old is he ? An adult never does that.

Hmm it does sound like he likes you rather than bullying (unless you feel some negativity over how he does it). I don't know its a japanese custom per se. Im chinese american and I do it to my girlfriends. I never realized I did it until someone pointed it out one day. Apparently I do it all the time. My friends think its wierd, my girlfriends dont like it cause it messes up their hair. I realized that's just my way of showing affection, as strange as it comes off across to other people.

How old are you? Any touching in Japan is very rare among adults, bordering on creepy and/or extremely rude, but teenagers often do it to show their affection, especially friends who are the same gender. If you're both adults I think it's creepy for him to touch your head and you should probably avoid him, but if you're teenagers it's likely to be a sign that he likes you and/or considers you to be a close friend.