The hands…

This is me getting confused with hand shaking on anime and manga/manhwa. We shake hands with the right hand, am I right or is it different in other cultures? I googled it before but it just says right hand, yet in anime/manga they always use left hand.

Japanese people don’t commonly use handshakes unless it a business reason to do so. It might also be that they do it the same way they receive presents? They receive with both hands as a cultural thing so maybe it’s why they use left hand to shake and right hand to hold the wrist of the left. It’s the same as how they accept sake being poured into their cup. It’s only a guess for me tho since I’m only studying Japanese and Japanese culture and I don’t actually live there at the moment. Other cultures do use right hand to shake hands and that’s probably more superstition and convenience than anything. Most people across the globe are right handed so it’s easier but also superstition says that the left hand receives satan and rejects god. It’s common for left handed children in Islam specifically but perhaps other religions as well to be forced to learn to be right handed. My cousin was left handed and had a left dominant foot and was rigorously trained out of it. I think it comes from the Adam and Eve story and about the Apple bro no in the left hand or some random bs but some people still believe it so that reason still exists. I’m just confused because the author wasn’t consistent in their drawing.

This is a Korean manhwa and the left handshake is also portrayed in a business setting type of stories. I am not sure about relating it to superstition but for common courtesy and business setting, people use the right hand, regardless whether the person is left handed.

Yes but different cultures do things differently. For example, Russia use the wedding bands on the right hand instead of the left one. Western countries use white wedding dresses but some cultures use white to mourn the dead. It depends on the culture you have. I know for a fact that China, Korea and Japan all have a culture of politeness and that includes using two hands to receive something. They don’t commonly use handshakes cause they have the bowing system so only in business is it really used. Maybe in some sports. But like I said, I’m only going off what my studies say about the matter. There’s not much material on handshake etiquette in Japan and Korea so you have to use your knowledge of other places where the left hand is commonly used which is receiving things. You use both hands or in the case of receiving alcohol from a superior or a business partner, you hold the cup in your left with the right hand on the left wrist. There’s many reasons for using both hands. It’s polite, they can see both hands so it gives a feel of safety and friendliness, there are superstitions that receiving with both hands will grant you abundance. There are so many more as well. Other cultures and people use this a lot as well. Butlers will hand things off with two hands and receive with both hands too. Ofc they have slightly different reasons but it adds stability but also a level of respect. You are taking it with full gratitude. This could be applied to the handshake. Since it’s business, you are taking the partnership with full gratitude. I’ve seen western people also use their left hands but it’s more casual when they use their left as opposed to their right. When I asked my boss why he did this before, he explained to me that using the left symbolises that you let your guard down and trust the person due to using your non dominant hand. Using your right hand would mean that you are in a position of power and are on guard. That’s why left hand handshakes are casual vs the stereotypical firm right hand handshake. I’m not sure if that applies everywhere but it’s worth considering as well. Japanese and Korean people want allies and show politeness through subservience a lot of the time. The reason they sit on their feet is originally so that soldiers and other people in the presence of royalty cannot jump up and murder the royal. If their legs are numb, the royal can be relaxed knowing that they will not be assassinated easily. The same about katana, they put it upside down on the wall so that it’s hander to just grab and stab. They want to show that they are safe and reliable and will not betray. If you consider those facts about their culture, using left hand to show less dominance and more friendly politeness might be a plausible reason for their doing it that way. But I don’t even think Japanese and Korean people know why they do certain things. I don’t know why people in my country do certain things and whenever I ask, no one knows the answer. If you can find a Japanese or Korean who can explain, that would be best but otherwise, I’ve outlined quite a few different possibilities. It could also just be that the author can’t draw right hands as well as the left one… we could be overthinking it all..