Some of you know how to use chopsticks🥢, (if not, check this out) but could be unaware of the right table etiquettes around chopsticks in Japan. Don’t worry, this article has got you covered. First off, let’s learn a little about chopsticks. Chopsticks are called ‘Hashi’「はし・箸」or ‘Otemoto’ 「おてもと・お手元」in Japanese. According to the usage they have different names and sizes. Like chopsticks for cooking are ‘Ryouribashi’ 「りょうりばし・料理箸」, or chopsticks to transfer cooked food to the dishes is ‘Saibashi’ 「さいばし・菜箸」 , and disposable chopsticks are called ‘Waribashi’ 「わりばし・割り箸」. Sizes for the kids and women differ. So, before you start to eat the meal, start with joining your hands and say ‘itadakimasu’ 「いただきます – ‘I humbly receive’」. Now ideally there should be 2 to 3 to 4 bowls when you go have your traditional Japanese meal. Two bowls will have your rice or ‘Gohan’ 「ごはん・ご飯」and miso soup or ‘Miso-shiru’「みそしる・味噌汁」 most definitely, in others the content may vary. Now if you have the waribashi, you separate the sticks, and place your chopsticks horizontally in front of you just like ‘=’ the equal two sign, and not vertically so that it faces the person sitting in front of you ‘||’. 2 rules you absolutely have to follow: 1) Do not stab or stick the chopsticks in your food. Absolute NO NO! It’s cause incense sticks are stuck in the sand during a funeral. 2) Definitely don’t pass food using chopsticks. NOPE! Again, when a person dies in Japan, the bones are passed on this way for some reason. So, don’t do that with your food! Japanese people are more lenient towards other rules, which include: 1) Don’t slide a bowl/dish using chopsticks. If it’s far, pick it up with your hands. 2) Don’t stab the food with chopsticks. Instead pick it put gently using chopsticks and eat. 3) Don’t point at anyone/ anything with chopsticks. Also, don’t hover the chopsticks over the food. Now have your meal, and when you are done, put your chopsticks on the chopsticks rest or in front of you. Join your hands and say ‘Gochi-sousama-deshita’ 「ごちそうさまでした・御馳走様でした」in order to thank. Awesome! Well, there are more etiquettes around eating, which I’ll be including in the next blog. Until next time. Ja ne! じゃね!