DOJO ETIQUETTE
Bows Are Not Simply "Japanese Handshakes"
It is common knowledge that bowing is customary in Japan. Watching the Japanese bow at any place and any time can appear amusing to our foreign eyes. Conversely, do we find watching people shake hands amusing? In the Western world, we typically offer our hands when we wish to be perceived as showing sincerity. The Japanese prefer to bow. Like the handshake, the bow can convey a salutation, a farewell, or an expression of thanks and gratitude.
The bow, although, is not the exact equivalent of the handshake. Handshakes have little variation, other than length of time and the strength employed. This may tell one very little, other than one or both persons have strong hands. On the other hand, the bow can convey a number of different things to its partakers and observers alike. Various bows have different meanings. As well, the type and level of emotions that may be involved and the nature of the relationship between the persons
bowing can be observed. Correct bowing is complex. There are different nuances involved with the type of bow and situation in which it is used. The depth of
the bow depends on the relationship between the two people meeting. Bows can range from shallow nods to kneeling bows where one's head touches the floor.
This latter bow, however, is seldom practiced or seen these days. As well as replacing the handshake, a bow can replace "thank you", "please" and other
commonly used terms of gratitude and respect.
Many Japanese appear to bow with little conscious thought. This can be seen when a Japanese person is immersed in a telephone conversation and is bowing to the unseen party. It is incorrect to assume that all Japanese understand the fine distinctions of bowing. With
globalization and the Westernizing of Japan, etiquette classicists note that many Japanese know only the rudimentary elements of correct bowing.
It is common knowledge that bowing is customary in Japan. Watching the Japanese bow at any place and any time can appear amusing to our foreign eyes. Conversely, do we find watching people shake hands amusing? In the Western world, we typically offer our hands when we wish to be perceived as showing sincerity. The Japanese prefer to bow. Like the handshake, the bow can convey a salutation, a farewell, or an expression of thanks and gratitude.
The bow, although, is not the exact equivalent of the handshake. Handshakes have little variation, other than length of time and the strength employed. This may tell one very little, other than one or both persons have strong hands. On the other hand, the bow can convey a number of different things to its partakers and observers alike. Various bows have different meanings. As well, the type and level of emotions that may be involved and the nature of the relationship between the persons
bowing can be observed. Correct bowing is complex. There are different nuances involved with the type of bow and situation in which it is used. The depth of
the bow depends on the relationship between the two people meeting. Bows can range from shallow nods to kneeling bows where one's head touches the floor.
This latter bow, however, is seldom practiced or seen these days. As well as replacing the handshake, a bow can replace "thank you", "please" and other
commonly used terms of gratitude and respect.
Many Japanese appear to bow with little conscious thought. This can be seen when a Japanese person is immersed in a telephone conversation and is bowing to the unseen party. It is incorrect to assume that all Japanese understand the fine distinctions of bowing. With
globalization and the Westernizing of Japan, etiquette classicists note that many Japanese know only the rudimentary elements of correct bowing.
Standing bowStand with your heels together, feet pointing slightly outward
(like a "V"). Keep your knees straight, elbows straight and relaxed, hands open and at the seams of your pants (the outside of your legs), and fingers together. Bend at the waist, about 20 degrees forward. Unbend. |
Kneeling (seiza)Place your left knee on the floor, then right knee. Sit down
on your feet. The big toes of your left and right feet should overlap (either one on top). Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Rest your left hand (hand open, fingers together) on your left thigh and your right hand on your right thigh, so that your fingers point inward. |
Bowing in seizaSlide your left hand from the thigh to the floor immediately in front of the left knee (not too far in front, i.e., your left elbow shouldn't touch the floor). Do the same with your right hand, so that the right hand motion is slightly behind (in time) the left hand motion.
Your palms should touch the floor to show deep respect. Bow at the waist, taking a little longer than for a standing bow (forehead comes close to the floor, but does not touch it). Slide your hands back up to their initial position on the thighs, this time with your left hand slightly behind the right hand. |
Entering and exiting the dojoBow, standing at the entrance, facing the dojo or towards the front of the dojo, whenever you are entering or exiting the dojo.
Lateness: First of all, try not to be late. But if you are late, bow in, then quietly kneel near the entrance. Wait until the instructor acknowledges you. Then bow while kneeling, get up, and quickly join the group. |
General etiquette during trainingThe moment class starts; your mind should be on karate and on trying to improve your own technique. Concentrate, give spirited kiai, don't talk unnecessarily, and practice hard! (This is under "etiquette" because doing otherwise would be
disrespectful to the instructor, as well as to yourself. -Don't wear jewelry, watches, etc. Don't chew gum. -Whenever you're told to move from one part of the room to another, do it quickly -Whenever you're asked to stand back or sit back and watch, do so in a normal standing or kneeling position, silently, without leaning on walls or distracting others. -If you're ever in a kneeling position and you're uncomfortable, it's generally okay to bow and then switch to sitting cross-legged. *Whenever you stand from a sitting position, switch to kneeling, bow, then stand. *If you ever need to leave a class early, let the instructor know beforehand. *Every time you get a new partner for any exercise, bow. Every time you're about to switch partners, bow to your old partner before moving on to the next. *Don't make overt displays of how tired you are, no matter how tired you are. *If you're ever asked to count, count in whatever language you feel comfortable with, but make the counts short, sharp, and spirited. *Do not hesitate to ask senior students and instructors for help before or after class.Time permitting, you should try to learn kata outside of class so that during class, the instructor can spend more time making comments about your technique rather than what move comes next. |
Ki-aiDon't say any words when you kiai. "Kiai" itself, being a Japanese word should NOT be a kiai. Common kiai include "Ya!" and
"Ei!" Don't be afraid to kiai! In general, people tend to kiai too softly rather than too loudly. If you have a strong kiai, it will often spur others to work harder, as well. The overall tone of a class is set by the level of spirit of the class, which can be raised with better kiai. On the other hand, if your spirit is poor or your kiai weak, you might bring down the class spirit. Opening sequenceWhen you hear "Line up!" or "Shugo!" (or however many lines is necessary for everyone to line up), stand shoulder to shoulder facing the front of the dojo, in rank order. Try to line up so that the instructor, standing before your line, is right in the middle of the line. If class is so big that the senior student says to
form more than one line, try to line up so that the lines are approximately the same length. "Seiza!": Sit down in seiza, so that knees are aligned with the person on your left. Or remain standing "Shomen ni rei!": Bow to the front of the room (which shows respect for your training space, to the institution of karate, and to the line of instructors who brought it to your instructor). "Sensei ni rei!": Bow to the instructor. When you're bowing, you say "OSS," which, roughly translated, the ubiquitous sign of respect in karate. At the signal of the instructor, get up quickly, without necessarily waiting for the person on your left to rise. Closing sequenceSame as the opening sequence, except that after the meditation ends
("mokuso yame!"), the class recites the dojo kun. Repeat what the senior student says, loudly -- but not so loudly that your voice stands out -- and in unison. During the bow to the instructor ("sensei ni rei!"), you say "OSS" which means "Thank you." "Thank you" in English is fine, too. |