Obama, Bow to your superiors, shake with your equals, but never ever Bow Shake!
"C: Topic:"Do not bow and shake hands at the same time"
We can say that to only lower your head is not so good for a Japanese bow. You will give the impression that your bow falls short. There are also the cases of somebody bowing their head repeatedly. In doing this, one might think you are paying the deepest respect and consideration, are being polite, etc., but the sentiment which should be expressed in the Japanese bow fails to be expressed doing this. When bowing while standing, their is the "highest respectful bow" (saikeirei), which is executed from a position of standing straight upward, and then bending 45-degrees or more. "Respectful bow" is at 30-to-40 degrees, and everyday "eshaku" around 15-degrees. "Saikeirei" is not seen on a regular basis, but is used in order to offer an apology, or when one is extremely grateful for something received, as well as performed before the altar of Shinto shrines and Bhuddist temples. In case of a handshake, straighten the back, and by all means one must look directly into the face (eyes) of the recipient of one's handshake. It is not to be too strong and not too light. Too strong will reflect an insult and too weak will not reflect good will. In America, such a weak handshake is called a "dead fish handshake", with the feeling being that the person wielding a dead fish. And, shaking a hand while performing a bow will be seen as subservient ("servile", "supple", "mean"), and is not to be done.
お辞儀と握手は同時にしないように 頭を下げるだけのお辞儀はあまり良くないといいます。これだとお辞儀をし足りなかったと思い、何回も頭を下げてしまうこともあるでしょう。そうなると敬意や奥床しさ（深い心づかい）、丁寧さなど、本来お辞儀で伝えられるべきものが伝わりません。立礼の場合、「最敬礼」は直立の姿勢から腰を基点に45度以上体を曲げます。「敬礼」は30～45度、「会釈」は15度程度です。「最敬礼」は日常ではあまり見られませんが、謝罪する時や本当に心から感謝の意を表したい時、また神前や仏前など儀式的な場面で用いられます。 握手は背筋を伸ばし、必ず相手の顔（目）を見て行います。強すぎず、緩すぎないように握ります。強すぎては相手に不快感を与え、また緩すぎても好意を表せません。アメリカでは弱い握手は「Dead-fish handshake」と呼ばれ、死んだ魚を握るようで気持ちが悪いと言われているようです。お辞儀をしながら握手をするのは卑屈に見えるので、あまりしない方がいいでしょう。
Gotta run to do something just now, but hope you would enjoy.
Have I told you love you yet today? LOL
This is great AIT!
Obeisance does have varying Rules of Etiquette, depending on the culture - that "Do as the Romans" thingy.
Obama, Bow to your superiors, shake with your equals, but never ever Bow Shake!
You either bow or shake hands, not both
This is true in other countries not just Japan
Japanese have no problem with the wrong bow from a foreigner
But by bowing and shaking hands at the same time they know 0baama is a dolt out of a Peter Sellers movie
Thanks for this AIT. I will be forwarding this commentary to many.
“Do not bow and shake hands at the same time”
That’s what I thought.
The guy looked like an idiot.
Well, actually, he is an idiot.
And I think he just did it to cover the Saudi Arabian gaffe ...
When he bows down to the foreign heads of State , he is sending a signal which is relayed to the appropriate people who then know what action to take.
All this is included in the plan for the destruction of the United States.
The people of China whom Obama is now visiting have hardly forgotten the invasion during the 1930’s of the Japanese Imperial Army and the resulting horrific atrocities by that Army against the Chinese people.
The infamous Rape of Nanking, the capital city, from 1937-1938 resulted in the rabid butchery by the Imperial Japanese Army of literally every resident—man, woman, and child—except those in a small, 2 1/2 mile square area declared off-limits to the Japanese by a tiny group of Americans whose bravery is legend and survival was miraculous.
Some 300,000 Nanking Chinese were murdered in the most barbaric ways—little girls to women in their 70’s after being raped and bayoneted.
This was the precursor to Pearl Harbor, but Americans took little notice of Nanking because they thought the reports about were so horrific that they could not possibly be true—and because America was focused on the growing Nazi menace in Europe at this time.
The Chinese have not forgotten Nanking. The Japanese murderous incursions are living history today to the Chinese.
To give a fawning, seemingly drooling bow, to the son of the Japanese Emperor of the 1930’s, no matter how much he, the current Emperor, may be an enlightened man, is just shameful in a really profound sense with repercussions not restricted to the U. S. public
You rock more than words can say!!!!
お辞儀と握手は同時にしないように 頭を下げるだけのお辞儀はあまり良くないといいます。これだとお辞儀をし足りなかったと思い、何回も頭を下げてしまうこともあるでしょう。そうなると敬意や奥床しさ（深い心づかい）、丁寧さなど、本来お辞儀で伝えられるべきものが伝わりません。立礼の場合、「最敬礼」は直立の姿勢から腰を基点に45度以上体を曲げます。「敬礼」は30～45度、「会釈」は15度程度です。「最敬礼」は日常ではあまり見られませんが、謝罪する時や本当に心から感謝の意を表したい時、また神前や仏前など儀式的な場面で用いられます。握手は背筋を伸ばし、必ず相手の顔（目）を見て行います。強すぎず、緩すぎないように握ります。強すぎては相手に不快感を与え、また緩すぎても好意を表せません。アメリカでは弱い握手は「Dead-fish handshake」と呼ばれ、死んだ魚を握るようで気持ちが悪いと言われているようです。お辞儀をしながら握手をするのは卑屈に見えるので、あまりしない方がいいでしょう。
Oh. Sure. That's easy for you to say.
"SERIES". In all the history of the United States, not ONE president has ever, EVER, bowed to a leader of another country. Not once! (Clinton came close, but his was a nod)
This 'shouting-out Homie', pretender in chief, is a complete embarrassment.
And whomever is his Protocol Advisor has his-her head up their butt and should be fired and or resign immediately. WE don't bow to no one!
Yeah, and now the all-knowing first Pacific President putz is teaching the world to bowshake. Btw, how does the Emperor like his gift iPod and autographed collection of royal obama speeches?
Thanks! I knew you’d have the straight word.
FWIW, I got the "Nihongo ga o-jouzu desu ne?" comment quite often -- probably because I spent hours listening to Japanese radio at work -- and because I'm a natural mimic...
One of my favorite stunts (when traveling in Japan with a group of "typical" noisy Americans) was to separate myself and act as if I had nothing to do with them, then sidle up to a Nihonjin who looked offended, do the suck-through-your-teeth "hiss", look askance at the Americans, and whisper, "Hen-na-gaijin desu, ne?". I can't count the times that it completely cracked one of them up -- because that is exactly what they were thinking... and were surprised at hearing it come from a gaijin ;-)
Thanks for the link!
Thanks for the info;confirmed what I had thought I remembered about the etiquette of the bow. I too think he’s trying to cover up for the Saudi bow but I also think he’s so arrogant he wouldn’t ask for or listen to any info from the state department or the protocol people.
Great post. You rule, AmericanInTokyo.