Most Westerners consider it bad manners to stare at people,but few of them are aware of the fine points of seeing and not seeing that are a part of the behaviour patterns in many societies. Unexpected visitors to a Japanese home may be ignored by the host as he leaves the room to prepare himself to receive the guests. If the visitors are well mannered,they do not "see" his guests. This behaviour is not too different from the pattern Westerners follow on overnight trains when people find it convenient to be looking out of the windows as their unkempt fellow passengers climb out of upper berths or make their way down the corridor.