is the act of lowering one's head or the upper part of the torso, commonly used as a sign of salutation, reverence, apology or gratitude in social or religious situations.Bow, (n.d.) In Oxford English Dictionary Online Website, Retrieved 01 May 2019.
Historically, ojigi was closely affiliated with the samurai. The rise of the warrior class in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) led to the formations of many well-disciplined manuals on warrior etiquette, which contained instructions on proper ways to bow for the samurai. The Japanese word (ojigi) was derived from the homophone , which originally meant "the opportune timing to do something". It did not start to denote specifically the act of bowing in the contemporary sense until late Edo period (1603–1868), when samurai bowing etiquette had spread to the common populace.お辞儀 (Ojigi), (n.d.), In 語源由来辞典 (Japanese Etymology Online Dictionary), Retrieved 03 May 2019. Nowadays, the ojigi customs based on the doctrines of the Ogasawara School of warrior etiquette—which was founded some 800 years ago— are the most prevalent in society.
In modern-day Japan, bowing is a fundamental part of social etiquette which is both derivative and representative of Japanese culture, emphasizing respect and social ranks. From everyday greetings to business meetings to funerals, ojigi is ubiquitous in Japanese society and the ability to bow correctly and elegantly is widely considered to be one of the defining qualities of adulthood. Therefore, even though most Japanese people start bowing at a very young age, many companies in Japan will take the extra effort to specially train their employees on how to bow in business meetings.De Mente, B. L. (2017). pp. 65–69.
Generally speaking, ojigi in Japan can be coarsely divided into two categories: zarei (), bowing while kneeling, and ritsurei (), bowing while standing. In either case, it is considered essential to bend one's body only at the waist and keep one's back completely straight during the bowing gesture. Failure to do so is often thought of as an indication of lethargy, insincerity and even disrespect. Different sub-categories of ojigi vary mainly in the angles of inclination of one's body and the positions of one's hands, which are determined both by the status of the person one is bowing to and the scenario or context of gesture.
History
While there are few official records on how the etiquette of bowing originated in Japan, it is widely believed that it traces its roots back to the propagation of Buddhism to Japan from the kingdoms of ancient China between the 5th and 8th centuries. In Buddhist teachings, bowing is an important gesture of piety and respect. Worshipers bow to Buddha statues in devotion, and disciples bow to their masters in admiration. Such religious etiquette was often believed to be the foundation of ojigi in Japan.
In the Kamakura period (1185–1333), with the appearance of the first feudal military government, the warrior class, or samurai, started playing a more prominent role in Japanese history. The principles and concepts of the warrior class began to shape the cultural standards of the society. Ojigi, along with other forms of samurai etiquette, under the influence of Zen Buddhism, became much more disciplined and widely practiced among the warrior class.Stalker, N. K. (2018). pp. 79–110.
In the subsequent Muromachi period (1336–1573), systematically written manuals on different sects of samurai etiquette, such as the and , were developed to strengthen and promote the cultural identity of the warrior class. These were often considered the first blueprints on proper ways to dress and behave for the samurai. The art of bowing, consequently, also became increasingly complicated and well-established. Different variations of ojigi were to be used for different scenarios, from indoor meetings, to archery matches, to praying at sacred temples. However, the advancement of warrior etiquette came to a halt in the later years of the Muromachi period, which was characterized by social turmoil and unrelenting warfare, popularly known as the Sengoku Era (Age of Warring States; 1467–1600). Formal etiquette was largely abandoned in the times of chaos and cruelty, and customs of ojigi faded in the course of history for over a century.Stalker, N. K. (2018). pp. 112 – 142.
The establishment of the third and final feudal military government in the Edo period (1603–1868) brought peace and prosperity back to the islands, resulting in the second blooming of samurai etiquette in Japan. Classic customs of the Ogasawara School were revitalized and new schools of disciplines, such as the , mushroomed. In the meantime, stability and burgeoning urban sectors provided common Japanese people with the opportunity for recreation and education. Since the warrior class was put at the top of the social ladder in the new social ranking system under the governance of the Tokugawa Shogunate, warrior etiquette like ojigi became ever more popular and gradually spread to the common people. As a by-product of the strict , the showcasing of social status also became progressively important in ojigi, a trait that is still observable in Japan to this day. Moreover, proliferation in arts gave birth to many cultural treasures, such as the tea ceremony, which gradually became a byword for refinement in the Edo period. Schools for tea ceremony then acted as another important source for promoting social etiquette to the commoners in Japan, such as zarei (bowing while kneeling).Stalker, N. K. (2018). pp. 144 – 179.De Mente, B. L. (2017). pp. 52–54.
In the business world Customs and manners in Japanese business are reputed to be some of the most complicated and daunting in the world, especially to a foreign person who is not familiar with the Japanese ideology of ranks and traditions. Failure to perform the right type of ojigi for the other person's status is considered a workplace faux pas or even an offense. Especially more traditional and conservative Japanese people view ojigi as a representation of the Japanese identity and find beauty in the performance of a perfect ojigi with the correct posture. Therefore, many industries in Japan will offer new recruits extensive training on correct ways to perform ojigi and other important business etiquette.
Eshaku, keirei and saikeirei are the three typical categories of ojigi practiced in the business world in Japan. No matter which type is chosen, it is important to pay constant attention to one's muscles and posture. In particular, one's back should be kept straight and the body below the waist should stay still and vertical throughout the bowing gesture. Slouching backs and protruding hips are both considered ugly and unprofessional behaviors. Another important technique for ojigi is the synchronization of one's movements with one's breathing, commonly referred to as in Japanese. To elaborate, the lowering movement of one's upper body should take as long as the inhalation of one's natural breath. Next, one should stay completely still at the bowing position when exhaling, before returning to one's original stance during the inhalation of the second breath. Rei-sansoku ensures the harmonic balance between one's movements so that the ojigi feels neither rushed nor protracted.
Eshaku
is generally performed with a slight inclination of about 15° of one's upper torso. At the bowing position, one's eyes should glance at the floor roughly three meters in front of one's feet. It is a very casual form of greeting in business, usually performed between colleagues with the same status, or when more formal gestures are deemed unnecessary, like when one casually bumps into someone on the street.
Keirei The second type, , is the most commonly used variation of ojigi in Japanese business. It gives a more formal and respectful impression than eshaku, but less than saikeirei, the final type of ojigi. Conventionally, keirei is performed with an inclination of about 30° of the upper body. At the bowing position, one's gaze should rest on the floor approximately 1 meter in front of one's feet. Possible scenarios for its usage include greeting clients, entering a meeting and thanking superiors at work.
Saikeirei Finally, , which literally means "the most respectful gesture", is, as the name suggests, the ojigi that shows the uttermost respect towards the other party. It is mostly used when greeting very important personnel, apologizing or asking for big favors. Saikeirei is characterized by an even deeper inclination of one's upper body than keirei, typically somewhere from 45° to 70°. Additionally, as saikeirei is used only in grave situations, one is expected to stay still at the bowing position for a relatively long time to show one's respect and sincerity.
In terms of hand positions, men should keep them naturally at both sides of their legs, whereas women often place one hand on top of the other in the center somewhere below their abdomen.
Zarei
Zarei is a bowing etiquette unique to East Asia, which involves bending one's upper body at kneeling, or seiza, position on traditional Japanese style tatami floors. With the Westernization of indoor decoration and lifestyles, zarei is becoming less and less commonly practiced in the daily lives of Japanese people. Some Japanese people even find zarei an excruciating ordeal to their knees and waists. Nevertheless, zarei remains an important part of Japanese culture, especially in more traditional activities such as the tea ceremony, kendo, and .
As with standing bows, zarei, as well as many other domains of Japanese culture like ikebana and garden design, can be classified into three main styles based on the doctrines of Japanese calligraphy: , the most formal style, the intermediate style, and , the most casual style.Stalker, N. K., (2018), pp. 58-59.
Saikeirei (zarei version) Saikeirei (the shin style) is the most formal and reverent of the three types. Starting from seiza position, the person is expected to lower his upper body all the way until his chest presses against his lap. In the process, his hands should slide forward along his thighs until they are on the floor roughly 7 cm away from his knees. In the final position, his face should be about 5 cm away from the floor. His palms should lie flat on the floor, forming a triangle directly under his face with the tips of the index fingers lightly touching one another. For saikeirei, like the standing version, it is important to allow an adequate amount of time in the bowing position before returning to the original seiza posture, in order to show the uttermost sincerity and respect. The entire procedure should take roughly 10 seconds to complete.
Futsūrei is the most commonly used variation of zarei in formal situations and most traditional activities. To perform a futsūrei, one should lower one's upper body until one's face is roughly 30 cm away from the floor. In the meantime, one's hands should move in a similar fashion as saikeirei, again forming a triangle directly under one's face in the final bowing position.
Senrei is the most casual type of zarei in everyday life, used mainly as greetings in informal situations. It is characterized by a relatively slight inclination (roughly 30°) of the upper torso. During the lowering movement, one's hands should slide naturally along one's thighs to the knees. In the bowing position, unlike the other two types, only one's fingertips should touch the floor. Men generally keep their hands in front of each knee, while women place their hands together in the center.
In various activities
Kendo