Phototographing Japanese people

Hello,
During my trip in Japan I came across three times when I asked Japanese people to take photos of them. One of a local guide (middleaged man) which made my visit very delightful and memorable. He looked quite embarassed on the photo I noticed later. One of an old lady managing a small reastaurant. She had quite an interesting reaction to my request like "am I that important to take picture of?" Although she smiled on the photo.
Last photo was of a group of schoolchildren who asked me questions for a school assignment and took pictures of me, so I requested to do the same. Though they looked more happy about the photo thing than the previous two did.

Are Japanese people usually reacting this way about photos? I dont want to make someone unhappy, maybe it is rude to refuse such a question or rude to take pictures of strangers even if you ask for permission?

Sounds like a typical set of reactions you got. I think people in most countries will find it strange to be taken a photo of by somebody they don't know. But in a friendly context, most will cooperate.

I'm pretty sure that this is quite a normal reaction of most people everywhere. My experience is also that when asked if you could take a photo, the resulting shot is often quite disappointing. Now I find my most satisfying street photography shots are when interacting a bit with the people on the streets; like this guy we met in Kabukicho:
http://monochrome.me.uk/blog/lovable-character-we-met-in-kabukicho/

I never found my lack of Japanese language skills a big problem interacting with people.

I agree with the other posters, and if you found that to be unusual, my explanation is that people tend to get nervous or modest when asked to take photos of them.

And being nervous or modest is a feeling you learn as you become adults. Children tend to be more innocent, especially when they are a group.

Skillful photographers have a way of making people loosen up so that they can catch them smiling naturally. An easy way to do this is to loosen up yourself and smile, because the subject is just another human being who is facing at you.

Let's say you are facing a stranger who is frowing at you. Wouldn't you want to frown? On the other hand, if you are facing your buddy who is entertaining you and smiling at you, you would want to smile, too.

The photogenic subject is your mirror.

I have a similar question. I'm a foreigner on study abroad in Japan. Today is a festival day and people were dressed up in festival regalia. I saw some girls near the train station wearimg particularly well made ones am I asked them, in my stil poor Japanese, if I could take a picture. They said no, and I apologized and continued on the way I was going. It's of course more than okay that they didn't want their pictures taken, but now I'm afraid I did something rude or sketchy.

will998,

Guessing from your description, that doesn't sound rude at all. Just forget about it. Maybe they were just shy, which is how many young girls are.

I see many junior high students are
glittering and enjoyably pose
for many foreigners' camera,
at Kiyomizudera temple everyday.

Especially for such student being in an international city like Kyoto is an unusual experience.

So in short I say it is up to their personality.