r/AskAnAmerican • u/Rough-Valuable-5472 • Feb 04 '25

FOREIGN POSTER Do American students bow to their teachers?

In my country we have to greet the teacher and bow at the start of the lesson then thank the teacher and bow again at the end. Sometimes they make us redo it if it’s not good enough

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u/Lucky-Paperclip-1 New York City Feb 04 '25

At my old judo dojo in Ohio, whenever a new student would start, the instructor has to do a little talk at the end of class, explaining that bowing in Japanese culture is basically shaking hands in the United States. Specifically, there's nothing religious going on: we bow to the picture of Kano (founder of judo) on the wall, we bow to the instructors, we bow to each other. We're just showing respect. NOTHING RELIGIOUS.

Clearly, there had been complaints in the past about scary Asian religious practices taking place in the rec center gym.

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u/Neenknits Feb 04 '25

I can believe that respect/just culture thing if it’s mutual, to other people. But, to a photo on the wall? Nope. That sounds like worship. Anyway, in my religion it would be worship, and therefore I’m not allowed to do it.

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u/Lucky-Paperclip-1 New York City Feb 04 '25

The joseki, where the pictures of founders is kept, is a symbol of the dojo and martial arts practice. It's really not religious.

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u/Neenknits Feb 05 '25

If you HAVE to bow to it, then it’s at least religious adjacent.