How can someone avoid being "touristy" while visiting Japan?

Question:

Answer:

Being a long term resident of Japan, I've seen my fellow Americans and other non-Japanese tourists through a different perspective. What I am impressed by is that most young people in their 20's, 30's, 40's who are traveling in a group of two or three or four, are very good tourists. They are respectful, well-behaved, knowledgeable and secure stuff like rooms online before the trip, and they don't make asses of themselves. From Europe, South Africa, Australia, US, Canada, Russia, wherever. Savvy travelers.

Now when I've seen families (American, sadly), I have seen lots and lots of "bad tourist behavior".
1. Not controlling the volume of one's voice. STFU!!!!!
2. Demanding English speaking, being critical of English-speaking waitress. "Your English sucks." (speak Japanese douchebag!!)
3. Letting ones kids run around and knock stuff over in gift shops.
4. Making insult statements in English about a restaurant where everyone speaks English "This Japanese tea tastes like dog piss." (in a very loud voice)
5. Saying Racist or mean things, or letting your kids do it. "Cool this is the city that the US Army Nuked! That must have been so cool to see in real life." (A good way to get your *** kicked)

So whenever I see a family, no I take that back. I hear them first. Everytime I've been to Miyajima, the "floating torii" that is a huge tourist attraction, I always hear at least two or three bad tourist families saying things that I listed above. It's always families, and sadly for me, almost always American. So the trick is to do the opposite:

1. Be polite and gracious, accept offers of food or something if a chef brings out his specialty.
2. Practice a little Japanese before going, or even on the plane. Even if its just a few words, it shows you care.
3. If you go somewhere like Miyajima, and all the tourists are eating in one restaurant, go to a different one. This applies to towns, hotels, restaurants and everything else. There are lots of small tourist attractions that are not visited by foreigners so much.
4. Go to small villages off the tourist area, and hike around the countryside. That may be the most interesting and enjoyable thing to do in a trip to Japan. In Shikoku, there is a pilgrimage to 88 shrines or temples across the island. Maybe you could do that, stopping at temples, and meeting pilgrims along the way. (Lots of Japanese people do this.)
5. Always be polite with locals, but don't let them take liberties with you you may not be comfortable with. If some tries to give you a diamond necklace and invites you to spend the summer at their house, well, creepy sensors should go off in your head.