In many karate schools around the world the traditional practice of bowing is being continued regardless of the country of origin and of whether the bow matches that countrys particular culture. The very act of stepping into a karate dojo or a Taekwondo dojang often means that you have entered into a mini-cultural experience that you never expected.
Some people find these practices quaint and educational, others find them downright offensive. This article attempts to explain the primary reasons for bowing in traditional Japanese culture and therefore in your Japanese style of martial arts. If you study Korean or Chinese styles it wont hurt to read on as many of these customs are relevant to most Asian countries and martial arts.
Karate originated on the island of Okinawa, part of the Ryukyu archipelago, which now belongs to Japan. In Japan bowing is as much a part of formal culture as the handshake is in western culture. Although the Japanese are increasingly using the handshake because of international business, the bow is still a very important part of Japanese etiquette. Bowing is therefore an integral part of a Karate lesson. We begin and end each lesson with...
To view and download this full PLR article, you must be logged in. Registration is completely free. Once you create your account, you will be able to browse, search & downlod from our PLR articles database of over "1,57,897+" on 1,000's of niches and 200+ categories without paying a penny. Click here to signup...
