Bowing In Japan: The Definitive Guide

Bowing In Japan: The Definitive Guide
Everything you've ever wanted to know about how to bow, and how not to bow, in Japan.
http://www.tofugu.com/guides/japanese-bowing/

May be it is in bad section - japanese language forum. in the article are some terms explanation and it is related to bowing japanese society.

Hi Noboru

It’s believed that bowing in Japan started sometime during the Asuka and Nara periods (538-794 AD) with the introduction of Chinese buddhism. According to those teachings, bowing was a direct reflection of status—if you met a person of higher social standing, you would put yourself in the more “vulnerable” position of a bow, much like a friendly dog rolling over on its back, to prove that you didn’t harbor any ill will toward them.

I don't want to talk down the influence of Buddhism on japanese culture BUT bowing and all forms of bowing and the reasons why to bow in this way and why not, all originated from Confucianism. Respect, proper etiquette and rite is very central in Confucianism. Confucianism was introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism and a buddhist bow (more  like praying or worshiping) is different to the many forms of formal bows we see in Japan (as bowing in your linked website)

Values in Confucianism:

- Five Constants (Rén 仁 humaneness) Yì (義 righteousness) Lǐ (禮 proper rite) Zhì (智 knowledge) Xìn (信 integrity)

- Four Virtues (Zhōng 忠, loyalty); Xiào (孝, filial piety); Jié (節, continency); Yì (義, righteousness)

- Five Great Relationships : ruler to ruled, father to son, husband to wife, elder brother to younger brother, friend to friend

and some more like

chéng (誠, honesty)
shù (恕, kindness and forgiveness)
lián (廉, honesty and cleanness)
chǐ (恥, shame, judge and sense of right and wrong)
yǒng (勇, bravery)
wēn (溫, kind and gentle)
liáng (良, good, kindhearted)
gōng (恭, respectful, reverent)
jiǎn (儉, frugal)
ràng (讓, modestly, self-effacing)

Bowing - in a proper way and in different forms - is not only a greeting; it's an expression of all above.

The Analects (Edited Conversations) - teachings of Confucius:

http://www.acmuller.net/con-dao/analects.html

Reviving and old post (sorry ).
From what I've noticed, is that a lot of people don't really follow these conventions when communicating with friends, only family, or coworkers, or other "more important" individuals. I've lived in Sapporo (Hokkaido) for 6 years now, and people tend to be more relaxed around friends, so you'll likely get a slouch-bow (some of my friends call it 怠惰な人 (means lazy human I think)).

Though theres a weird convention, where people wearing traditional kimono (regardless of gender), tend to always be proper with their techniques. I've started wearing traditional kimono as well, and I don't personally see much of a reason to (I suppose they're honoring traditions).
They probably tried to explain it to me, but my Japanese isn't perfect, and there's only so much I can understand (I only started learning a year ago, after finishing uni in Kyoto, and I initially wanted to learn just so I could get a driver's license)