Being a foreigner in Sapporo

Around here, you don't see that many non-asian people. If I go to the downtown city area, I can probably see 3-4 western people in a few hours, so no wonder most people you will give you a quick glance or two when you're a tall, blonde swede. The Sapporoans are quite shy and quiet people though, even more so than in the other parts of Japan I've visited, I'd say. Practically noone will start talking to you even though some certainly seem curious. This probably also has something to do with the fact that people in general don't speak english or are too shy to try speaking english. These situations certainly makes me curious at least and I'd like to figure out what goes on inside the head of the average Japanese. Not just their thoughts about foreign people, but the whole culture. This is my main motivation for learning Japanese at the moment.

At the local Coop store (yes, same name as the food stores in Sweden, but as far as I know, the Japanese Coop is not a sponsor of Hammarby) where I buy my food they seem to say all their polite phrases extra loud and often to me, compared to to Japanese customers. As if they're happy to have a Swedish guy coming every other day to their food store? Or It might as well just be because I always seem a bit lost, look at everyone and everything, compared to the Japanese customers who just hurry up to find the stuff they need and buy it.

My second theory is that this feeling that many Japanese seem curious or have some thoughts about foreign people might partially be constructed by myself. It's easy to feel alienated and looked at when you 1. certainly do look different and 2. don't understand many of the things that's going on around you. Maybe people just cast a glance, notice that there's a different looking person in their surrounding and get back to thinking about what to eat for dinner.
At least, everyone treats me very well and is just as respectful as to Japanese people so far, and I certainly appreciate the Japanese respectfulness.

Some slightly funny situations that you can get into as a foreigner in Japan;
Last weekend, I was in the city with two other swedish guys. Some young Japanese guy who walked by was obviously curious on the foreign people, so he walked by really close and kind of 'accidently' touched my swedish friend's back a little and then kept walking. It was quite obvious though since he had a big smile on his face. I don't know what his purpose was, but it was certainly entertaining.

A few days ago, I was taking a run before going to school. I ran to a park not too far away. A tv-team was in the park doing an interview, looked quite serious wearing a suit etc. When I ran by, I kind of thought they turned the camera towards me slightly, but I wasn't sure.
I didn't find my way around there well, so I came to a dead end and had to run back after only a few minutes. When I run by the tv team this time, they did turn the camera towards me, and the guy doing the interview raised his voice until he was almost screaming and spoke quickly like a sports commentator. I had no idea what he was saying, but I could understand the word 'kaerimasu!!' which means returns.
Probably it was more fun with a foreigner taking a run than the interview. Japanese tv-shows are all about instant entertainment, so probably I'll end up on one of those entertainment shows, who knows.