Japan: linguistics

" Verb: 触ります (sawarimasu) - to touch (a door) "

So the textbook says. Some of you might be familiar with it. To 'touch' a door? I had always assumed this meant perhaps to 'knock at' a door. On my arrival in Tokyo, however, I realised it meant exactly to 'touch' a door. In Japan you open most sliding doors by touching a sensitive electronic pad.

Mystery solved.

(Though a lot about Japan still remains unanswered!)