TYPES OF JAPANESE bowing

The Japanese have a unique welcome habit of bowing. Bowing is classified into three forms based on the degree of relationship between the person greeting and the person facing. It is dependent on the place, time, and conditions. The first is a "little welcome" in the corridor when meeting guests or superiors, with merely a slight bend of the head. The second is the "casual greeting," which involves bending slightly lower when greeting someone casually. Finally, there is a "nice welcome," which is a modest bow used to meet a formal guest. To be truly Japanese, do not bend your head, but rather maintain your back straight and slightly bent at the waist. Men place their hands on the sides of their bodies, whilst women place their hands in front of their bodies, which seems more formal and elegant.

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