How to Follow Japanese Table Manners

Japanese table manners differ widely from American table manners, as well as those of other Western countries. This is partly owed to the different types of foods common in Japanese society. Additionally, because chopsticks are preferred over Western utensils, there are more etiquette rules you have to follow. Once you get used to them, it's not too hard to follow all of the Japanese table manners.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use a hot steamed towel if provided to clean your hands before you eat.

2. Wait to drink until everyone has a drink and raises their glasses for a toast. The traditional Japanese toast is "kampai!"

3. Let someone else pour you an alcoholic drink. Serving yourself is typically bad manners. In some cases, the youngest person will serve everyone at the table.

4. Drink soup directly from the bowl unless the soup has noodles. If the soup has noodles, it is acceptable table manners to use chopsticks to eat the noodles, but you can still drink the broth from the bowl.

5. Make slurping sounds when eating hot noodles. This is actually considered acceptable table manners in Japanese society.

6. Use the opposite side of your chopsticks to serve yourself from a common dish when eating with others if no serving chopsticks are provided. In certain casual or male-only gatherings, reversing your chopsticks is not required.

7. Hold a bowl of rice in your palm. To eat, raise the bowl close to your face and use chopsticks.

8. Eat sushi in one bite after dipping it in a small plate with soy sauce. Try not to pour more soy sauce than you will need, because wasting soy sauce is looked on as bad manners.

9. Use chopsticks to eat sashimi. You can use your hands or chopsticks to eat nigiri or maki. It's your choice.

10. Lay your chopsticks on the chopsticks rest when you are not holding them but have not yet finished eating. In Japan, the chopsticks rest is called a "hashi-oki."

11. Return the table setting to how it looked when you sat down when you finish your meal. That means placing the chopsticks back in the chopsticks holder and putting the lid back on any bowls that came with a lid.

Tips & Warnings

• While it can be difficult if you are not an avid user of chopsticks, you should try to clean your bowl all food, down to the last piece of rice.
• When in doubt, always follow the lead of your host.
• Never blow your nose at the table.
• Avoid putting soy sauce on cooked white rice.
• Don't stick your chopsticks into a bowl of rice such that they are sticking straight up in the air. This is how the Japanese traditionally present an offering to their ancestors.