
Thanks to our Japanese daughter-in-law we have learned several no-nos when eating in Japan. The long chopsticks are for serving food. You do not pass food to another's chopsticks using your chopsticks. Chopsticks should not be stuck in your rice while you eat something else. They should be set down parallel to each other on a holder next to your plate. One thing you can do in Japan that is not so much acceptable in the US is slurp your noodles from your bowl of broth. Eating in a noodle shop in Japan produces a lot of strange noises.
An article I found at Independent Traveler.com gave a glimpse into what could be some major faux pas in other countries. For example don't eat with a fork in Thailand but don't eat without one in Chile. Don't cut your pasta in Italy (although someone commented later that her relatives said only a peasant twirls their pasta).

Oh, and when in Japan remember that another person will continue to refill your sake. It's a polite gesture and you are expected to do the same. Just be careful how much you sip because you will never hit bottom. Don't ask.
No comments:
Post a Comment