Quick poll - how long before you stop bowing reflexively on your return?
 

Maybe I just overcompensate for my woeful language abilities, but I find that I start bowing naturally as soon as I arrive at Narita passport control. It then takes me days to stop once I leave Japan again.

What ended up surprising me is that, on a recent trip to Prague (I can barely say a couple of words in Czech) the bowing reflex kicked in quite violently. It was actually quite ridiculous.

People don't bow outside of Japan?
Not even on the phone?

Oh dear... does that mean I'm going to start bowing when sending and receiving electronic messages?

You know, that's exactly what I was thinking--"but do you bow on the phone?"

I rarely bow in person, but speaking in Japanese on the phone..... it's not pretty.

Bowing is sign of respect.

I also have trouble changing back to 'other' custom when handing someone a business card. In Japan it is always done with two hands (as well as the bow). THAT is another habit hard to change. Even when it is just a credit card!!

I stop bowing when I put the fiddle down, not a moment before. Bow wow!

Actually, I rarely bow much at all when I'm in Japan. I try to keep interaction sort of midway between Japanese rules and American rules on the theory that this makes everyone equally uncomfortable. Curious approach, I know, but I find it nullifies some of the negotiating disadvantage that I face as a foreigner in Japan.

Any Japanese or Korean corporate warrior can say "Yes, director" in a most obedient voice and bow with great humbleness while looking at his superior/sempai with puppy eyes. :D And it would not be Japan/Korea if the same guy wouldn't be in his favorite bar two hours later complaining to trusted friends how his boss doesn't recognize his potential and if they would have any job offers in the pipeline.

I wonder how long it would take for the whole male population in those two countries to go bonkers if the bars and Karaoke rooms would close? Or, God forbid, the golf courses with butler service. ;)

I'm actually glad to hear it is not just me! :D

I am pretty big, so a full bow would look a bit weird, but I start doing the "head bob" bow as soon as I get off the plane - basically when I start speaking any Japanese. Among others, "sumimasen" is always accompanied by the head bob. I don't seem to have any control of it. I tend to take a few days to get out of the habit after returning home.

On a related note, how long does it take you to stop saying "sumimasen" in place of "excuse me" after you get home? I slip occasionally for days or even weeks after returning. Get some strange looks, except for my family who are getting used to it. I bumped into a Japanese tourist in Honolulu last spring, said "sumimasen" without thinking, then had to explain when she goggled at me then burst out laughing.

JR

Ahhh its not just me that does this :D

It depends on how quickly someone mentions it to me to consciously stop :o

It can take weeks ....
 

I've found that it can take me a long time. I often meet Japanese in the US as part of my work, so going to Tokyo kicks the reflex into high gear and then it's reinforced with my business contacts when I return. My wife says is diminishes over time (probably as the percentage of other gaijin I deal with increases), but she snickered that it can be several months.

Now I do the two-handed business card exchange all the time.

And another thing - I do miss the Toto washlets.

Took me about 3 days to lose the urge
 

the part I liked best was bowing at the end of the TV newscast. Can't imagine Dan Rather doing THAT!

This being Japan, they are being honest and shameful and are apologizing for the lies and content-free broadcast they just told you. Dan Rather and others ought to do that too.

After a trip to Japan, my big problem is activating the windshield wipers instead of the turn signal.

Hand Shaking is My Quirk
 

I do the same returning from months at a time in Russia where constant hand shaking is the rule of the day. I shake hands with friends here I would normally hug or just slap on the back. With my bad back, I bet bowing would be hard for me there but easy to break from once I got back here :p :p :p

What? You are not amazed and in awe of the strength and resiliency of the latest type of concrete being used for a new overpass? :p
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"You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there."
- Yogi Berra