# How to apologize, Japanese-style **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 23, 2008, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814 "2008-09-23T10:13:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/1 "2008-09-23T10:13:23Z")
Something that makes me chuckle whenever I need laugh: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4bMM73-qHo) ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/2 "2008-09-23T10:33:12Z")
That’s funny. After living there for six years total, I’m guessing the author has some experience with Japanese culture. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/3 "2008-09-23T10:39:49Z")
> [@Lucretia](#): > > That’s funny. After living there for six years total, I’m guessing the author has some experience with Japanese culture. It was actually a series of Japanese spoof documentary made for Japanese…and fan-subbed. I have respect for a society that is able to make fun of its serious side. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/4 "2008-09-23T12:43:56Z")
> [@CrazyChop](#): > > It was actually a series of Japanese spoof documentary made for Japanese…and fan-subbed. > > I have respect for a society that is able to make fun of its serious side. If they don’t make fun of the serious side of society, there won’t be all that much to make fun of. 🙂 Funny shit. The origami one was pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/5 "2008-09-23T12:48:14Z")
Yeah, it’s funnier if it’s the Japanese making fun of themselves. But how accurately is it subtitled? ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/6 "2008-09-23T13:48:53Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Yeah, it’s funnier if it’s the Japanese making fun of themselves. But how accurately is it subtitled? Fairly accurately. Or at least the general meaning is the same. From what I could understand. Which admittedly isn’t much. I really wish my kanji were better. It’s a slow process. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/7 "2008-09-23T15:18:23Z")
[Holy cow this is funny](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuNu2a4FGTI&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/8 "2008-09-23T15:28:12Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > [Holy cow this is funny](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuNu2a4FGTI&feature=related). “On the other hand, _toro_ is a junk food for low income earners. The fish is recycled; and instead of rice, barley and minced pasta are used.” Also see the woman’s and man’s respective expressions when it’s said that the woman is required to pour the man’s beer. “This is the samurai way.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/9 "2008-09-23T15:32:07Z")
I’ve seen the Sushi one before, but not Shazai. The ninja pose is hilarious. What’s even funnier is that there are Americans so desperate to assimilate into Japanese culture that they take instruction directly from anime, and the thought of someone taking these videos in earnest is entertaining as hell. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/10 "2008-09-23T16:20:19Z")
Is it just me, or does the “deep bow” look like the bower just got a shot to the groin? Also, I liked the one guy checking his watch during the “perpetual bow”. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/11 "2008-09-23T16:27:23Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I’ve seen the Sushi one before, but not Shazai. The ninja pose is hilarious. > > What’s even funnier is that there are Americans so desperate to assimilate into Japanese culture that they take instruction directly from anime, and the thought of someone taking these videos in earnest is entertaining as hell. Well, hell, hopes no one [take their advice for dating…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO5IDiYPXPo) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/12 "2008-09-24T09:18:17Z")
The same guys actually made the Japanese “Mac vs. PC” commercials for Apple. [Here’s an example.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-3MtYn9W5w)😃 ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/13 "2008-09-24T16:15:38Z")
Oh, god, this is fantastic. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/14 "2008-09-24T16:27:27Z")
Do they really grab their crotches like that for a deep apology? ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-apologize-japanese-style/464814/15 "2008-09-25T05:22:43Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Do they really grab their crotches like that for a deep apology? No. They do bow for a very very long time though. I can’t search youtube at work, but see if you can find any footage of an official stepping down due to some scandal in his company. He’ll make a speech and then bow (at 90 degrees) and hold his head down for ten seconds or more. Then maybe do it again. Beats hara kiri, I guess.