Bows are exchanged repeatedly throughout a tea ceremony, between the host and guest of honor, among the guests, between guests and the hosts assistants, and between the host and guests.

And overlying this is the skin drape, which is a hugely complex three dimensional structure taking right angled bends here and there, having thin areas like the eyelids, thick areas like the cheek, different colors.

Social bowing is all but extinct, except in some very formal settings, though hand kissing of women by men, which of necessity includes a bow, lingers on in some cultures.