The same can be said in reverse for Japanese people on how they see the Western world: Do they assume the USA is like Hollywood or the UK being like British Television? They perhaps assume that all Americans live in a large home with a white picket fence depicting a nuclear family as if its 1950.
All they talk about US is California or New York since most movies and TV shows use either as their main setting. Is the US in real life similar to Hollywood (everyone having a nice car, big home & white picket fence)? That’s the kind of response from non-Japanese assuming Japan is like anime.
For what it’s worth when I went to Japan I did think “man, people who are really into anime would love this”. Especially Tokyo and Kyoto.
There was anime stuff everywhere in Tokyo and I saw some really interesting temples and stuff in Kyoto.