” If AmericanInTokyo had the privilege of meeting the Emperor (I did when he was Crown Prince) I would have conducted such a bow. “
Really ? I just showed this photo to my Japanese wife and she said there isn’t a Japanese person alive who would bow that low to the Emperor . I know I , as an American , would not .
I just showed this photo to my Japanese wife and she said there isn’t a Japanese person alive who would bow that low to the Emperor>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
She is right about that, at least in public. Privately is another matter.
Retainers to the Emperor still bow that low to him, but properly with a great deal of dignity. They certainly do at Ise Jingu, where Akihito represents every Emperor that Japan has ever had.
But this Obabow is a horrid loss of face for America.
(My son also lives in Japan and has a wonderful Japanese wife. I tell him how fortunate he is, and same to you!)
On second thought, looking at that picture, certainly not that low, even as a non-entity in the hierarchical scheme of things here...imagine this coming from a President.
A good example is the Emperor hosting Japanese once a year to Imperial Cultural Awards ceremonies. The J women in kimono and men in black mourning suits give somewhat of a bow when it is their turn to have small talk His Majesty in the lineup, but certainly not this kind of Obama "bow" as in the proverbial "bowing and scraping".
Yep, those Japanese spouses know how to read this one for sure.