Things You'll Need:
- The desire to understand the Japanese people
- A sense of composure
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Step 1
Bowing in Japan is everywhere, and understanding it is everything. It takes some time for the foreigner to understand the many meanings of the bow and the many ways of bowing. But embracing the bow from the outset will improve one's chances at everything from crossing the street safely to meeting a mate.
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Step 2
Understand that in Japan, the bow essentially means "I acknowledge you". The bow can mean things like "I see you", "Thank you", "Hello," "Good Day", "Pardon me", "Right away, sir", or "Amen". The Japanese people bow to show deep remorse as well as profound gratitude or respect -- these bows can be grand and sweeping or somber and slow. But the Japanese also bow to acknowledge almost all the sundry interpersonal interactions of life.
Remember the bow means "I acknowledge you": The Japanese also bow to acknowledge other drivers or pedestrians, the way Americans might give a small wave to a driver who lets them merge or to a bicyclist waiting cross an intersection. -
Step 3
The standard formal bow when meeting someone new in Japan requires simply that one stand firm facing the new person, with hands at one sides. Bow from the waist (not the neck) in a somewhat slow fashion. The lower the one bows, the greater the respect accorded, so it is important to know if one's counterpart is socially superior (a teacher, a doctor?) or not.
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Step 4
Aide from such introductions and other formal forms of greeting and ceremony, most bows in Japan are of the fleeting kind. Every transaction requires an acknowledgment: at the store, the ticket booth, at a restaurant, when asking directions. In most daily situations, brief but honest eye contact that flows into a slight bow is very much appreciated. Realize that most bows are simple nods or very slight inclinations from the waist. You can actually bow while sitting. The Japanese bow while driving and even while talking on the phone to folks they can't see.
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Step 5
Remember that the Japanese value mutual respect. In all your transactions in Japan show respect and acknowledgment with gentle eye contact, a smile and a bow. You'll find this open doors an hearts in a country where it's not always easy to be a foreigner.
