In some Asian cultures bowing is far more common than in the West. It is especially important in Japan. Japanese people – both men and women - spend a lot of their time bowing. They bow to greet one another, to say goodbye, to say they are sorry, to say ‘thank you’, or to show that they are not as important as the person they are bowing to. There are different degrees of bowing, and it is very important in Japanese culture to know the right way to bow on different occasions. A bow of 15 degrees is very informal, a bow of 45 degrees is very formal. They keep their back (from the head to the hips) straight while doing this. The men have their hands by their sides, women have one hand over the other in front of their body. Typically a bow should last a count of eight: three to go down, one for a pause and four for returning to an upright position. If someone bows a little longer than the other person, that other person may bow again, and the other person then also bows again, and this can go on several times. Japanese mothers carry their babies on their backs, so that children learn to bow even before they can speak. Pupils and teachers at school bow to one another. The more important someone is, the deeper the other person has to bow.