Japanese Bowing

Earlier today when our plane left Japan’s Narita International Airport, Pete and I experienced something lovely. 

Both on our way leaving Japan last week for Singapore and then again today leaving for the US, I was in awe at the sight of the airport workers out my window. See, as our plane departed the gate and turned toward the runway, all of the workers bowed to our plane to see us off in compete unison. 

This wasn’t the first time we witnessed it. About a week and a half ago, we took the famous bullet train from Japanese cities Tokyo to Kyoto. And when our train first left the station, I looked out the window. Every single train operator worker still left on the landing gave us all a slow, reverent bow as our train passed them on the railroad.  

Tradition for the sake of tradition may not always a good thing. But this one....this one I liked.