This is fairly accurate. I went to Japan for graduate school last summer, my first trip there ever. We went directly to the house of one of the families we interviewed for our project (questions and answers translated for me by a very patient Japanese student in my group!) and when we were done, the most insane bowing regimen I had yet witnessed occurred. We all shook the family's hands then started bowing while I was repeating "arigato" to each of them. They then spoke in Japanese to our Japanese students. More bowing, while I bowed, confused as to what was being said. Then more speaking, more bowing, bowing, bowing, more bowing. I finally think it stopped, then the woman said something else and there was another bow chain of 3 or 4 times (these later ones were lesser bows, we did several deeper bows after the first thank you's).

Finally we inch over to the car, the family says a few more things to our Japanese students, now we've moved to the lightest head bobbing bow while we are standing half in the car. Head bobbing bow happens 3 - 5 more times. Finally we get in the car, the woman waves while bowing from her driveway, so I nod my head while waving.

God, I just typed two paragraphs about a bowing exchange, do you see how long it took in real life!? lol

To clarify, I love bowing, very respectful, I've always done it a little since I trained in Ninjutsu 12 years ago out of habit. But it can get out of hand!