Bowing in Japan is widely observed not only in the workplace but also in daily life. Make it a habit to bow and greet customers and co-workers each time you pass by them.
There are three types of bowing in Japan.
Nod Bow: Lower your head and hips to a 15 degree angle. You can use nod bows in
everyday greetings like 『おはようございます。』and 『お疲れ様です。』 .
Polite Bow: Lower your head to hip to a 30 degree angle. It can used in situations when you want to show respect for your superiors and customers such as『失礼致します。』and 『いらっしゃいませ。』 .
Respectful Bow: Lower your head and hips to a 40 degree or 90 degree angle. Respect bow is used to express apologies and gratitude like
『申し訳ございませんでした。』and『ありがとうございました。』
