How to Eat Japanese Food

Many Japanese dishes differ greatly from western foods and dealing with chopsticks might be a new experience. Discover the proper methods for eating noodles and rice or how to drink in a Japanese restaurant. You will enjoy your meal and feel more comfortable after learning how to eat Japanese food politely using proper etiquette and table manners. 

Proper Etiquette

Use your best table manners. In authentic Japanese restaurants it is expected that you will remove your shoes before being seated. Good manners include saying  "itadakimasu" before dinning on your meal. This means "I gratefully receive." After finishing a meal, you place all the lids back on the serving dishes and arrange saucers and plates back to where they were when served. To thank the waiter or waitress, you say "gochisosama deshita," which means "Thank you for the meal."

Learn how to share dishes from common serving trays. Most Japanese meals offer a variety of different foods all served on separate serving dishes. It is expected that each individual will take a portion of food from the serving dish and place it on their plate. The polite way to serve yourself is to use the blunt or flat ends of chopsticks to scoot the food onto your plate. Pointed ends of chops sticks are reserved for you to eat with.

Rice

Hold your chopsticks in one hand while picking up the bowl of rice with the other hand. Lift a bowl near your mouth and scoop up the rice with chopsticks. 

Noodles

Use chopsticks for eating noodles or if you prefer, slurp the noodles. It is okay to slurp noodles in Japanese culture. Slurping noodles is not considered bad manners, but rather a compliment that means you enjoy the food.

Drinking

Begin drinking after every person’s glass has been filled. Serving all individuals at the table first and yourself last reflects good table manners. You should also make a point of refilling guests glasses when they get low.

Sushi

Eat sushi with or without wasabi. Wasabi is a type of hot horseradish. Use small dishes provided for dipping sushi into soya sauce. Never use chopsticks to stab your food.

Soup

Use chopsticks to eat solid pieces of food from soup bowls. It is also customary to pick up the soup bowl and drink the liquid.