Ojigi (おじぎ) - Bowing

link : https://www.nippon.com/en/guide-to-japan/gu020001/

Bowing is a fundamental nonverbal communication method in Japanese culture that serves multiple functions:

• Purpose: Used for greetings, expressing gratitude, apologizing, and farewells
• Depth and Frequency: The deeper and more frequent the bow, the more respect is conveyed
• Cultural Pervasiveness: So ingrained that Japanese people sometimes bow during phone conversations, even though it cannot be seen
• Social Context: Service professionals (hotel staff, shop assistants, servers) will bow to customers
• Reciprocity: It is appropriate, though not obligatory, to return a small bow when someone bows to you

Head Movements and Verbal Affirmations

Japanese people use specific head movements paired with verbal cues to communicate agreement or disagreement:

• Affirmative: Nodding the head indicates "yes" (hai / はい)
• Negative: Shaking the head or waving a hand left to right indicates "no" (iie / いいえ)
• Intensity: Faster and more repetitive movements amplify the meaning being conveyed
• Active Listening: Japanese people often nod and say "un" (うん), a casual form of "yes," to signal they are following the conversation

Visual Symbols

Japanese culture employs specific symbols to indicate approval or disapproval:

• Maru (まる): Circle symbol (⭕) indicating "good" or "correct"
• Batsu (ばつ): X symbol (❌) indicating "bad" or "incorrect"
• Practical Application: These symbols are commonly used to mark prohibited actions or behaviors