Dec 13, 2023 (DW News) - While the samurai no longer rule Japan, the bow has endured as the mark of respect. It's a greeting and an apology, a sign of respect and an indication of worshipping — and there are numerous subtle distinctions.
To the Japanese, the bow is something they do every day. Children bow to their teacher and say "ohayou gozaimasu," or "good morning," at the start of every school day. It would be unthinkable for a business meeting to commence without formal bows.
Shop staff and train conductors, hotel employees, janitors and deliverymen all bow to their customers. Even passing a colleague in a corridor will inevitably elicit eye contact and a deep nod.
It's a greeting, and it's polite. But a bow to a Japanese person imparts much more information, with each variety having a nuance that communicates a slightly different meaning.
"Bowing is a key part of greetings in Japan," said Kiyomoto Ogasawara, the heir to the 32nd headmastership of the Ogasawara-ryu school of "reiho," or etiquette.
"Bowing signifies trust and peace by showing vulnerability, as we avert our eyes and expose the head," explained Ogasawara, whose family has served as instructors to generations of shoguns since the school was established more than 830 years ago. ...continue reading
