How to Observe Japanese Dinner Etiquette

Cultural differences can invite interest, rupture friendships or even spark wars. When visiting another country, observing the proper etiquette over meals can go a long way toward opening lines of communication. Japanese dining etiquette is fairly simple, and there are only a few small things to remember to make sure that your meals will move along smoothly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. If a hot towel is provided before the meal, use it to wipe your hands. It's considered polite and sanitary.
2. It's customary to say "Itadakimasu" (basic pronunciation: ee-tah-dah-kee-mahss) before a meal. It's something of a catch-all phrase with no literal, easy translation in English. Look at it as a mixture between "Enjoy your meal" and a remark of thanks.
3. Use your chopsticks for eating only. It's considered rude to use them to point at people, tap on the table, sketch out accents to verbal points or other gestures.
4. Always lay your chopsticks down next to your bowl when you aren't using them. Never, ever stick them upright in your food; this is a major faux pas, as that's only done with ritual food at funerals.
5. Believe it or not, it's acceptable to slurp your noodles loudly (just don't make a mess). It shows appreciation for the cooking.
6. After the meal, it's customary to say "Gochiso-sama deshita" (basic pronunciation: go-chee-so-sah-mah deh-shee-tah).