Krystle Hara
Exchange student, 20
I don't have a line. But I've got, "Do you like anime?" a few times. Something that tends to work for me is when a guy says "I speak English," because it makes choosing which language you are going to speak in less awkward.

Shunji Nagai
Finance, 27
"Do you have a lighter" is a good way to start a conversation. It's 100 percent successful. When I talk to foreigners, I always talk about travel, like asking them "Where have you been? I've been to Amsterdam, it's great etc."

Ian Reid
Translator, 31
I don't have any lines or tricks, I just ad lib it -- that's my style. I try for something spontaneous that doesn't sound forced by picking something out of the situation and commenting on it, like "did you see that," and see if it goes anywhere.

Hidemi Hachitori
Office lady, 31
Nothing special. If I was going to talk with a foreigner, I'd probably say "hi, where are you from?" When I go to foreign countries, I want to talk to the people there. But I wouldn't speak to a foreign guy I didn't know here.

Erika Sekinei
Sales, 22
No, I've never tried to speak to a guy. I'm too shy to make the first move. Sometimes I meet foreign guys through my friends, and they might say ask me to dinner. I went on a few dates, but no success stories so far.

Andrea Johannes
Teacher, 25
I don't usually approach people because usually I meet people through friends. If I were at a concert, I might say, "What do you think of the music?" I think Japanese guys are more shy of approaching Western women.