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Japanese Ceremonies Require Flexibility

There is a special seating position in Japanese culture that's called "seiza." If you've ever seen a movie or T.V. show set in Japan, then you've probably seen someone seated in this position. It basically requires you to sit on your legs with your posture straight. As you might imagine, seiza takes a bit of practice for foreigners to master first, as you have to be a bit flexible to pull it off properly.

Wikipedia

Alternatively, crossing your legs in front of you is also considered acceptable. However, that can also be a bit difficult to do without a bit of flexibility.