What is Japanese Dining Etiquette?

Japanese people are quite formal and nowhere is this more visible than at the dining table. Traditional rituals like verbal expressions and proper use of chopsticks are automatically followed since they are ingrained since childhood.

That said, Japanese diners can become very boisterous and noisy during special occasions like Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) when large amounts of alcohol are consumed!

Saying Thanks

At the beginning of a meal, Japanese people usually take the time to appreciate the visual presentation and the taste sensations of the dishes before them. Then they make a praying gesture, bow slightly, and say “itadakimasu”  (“I gratefully receive this food”). After a meal, they bow and say “gochisosama deshita” (“thank you for the wonderful food and hospitality”).

Technically the phrase,“itadakimasu” encompasses gratitude towards everyone who has made the meal possible, not just the chef but also the farmers, the fishermen, the fruit and vegetable pickers, even Mother Nature. After this ritual, which is deeply rooted since childhood, they eat. At the end of the meal, they replace their chopsticks on the chopstick holder or back in the paper sleeve. Then they use the praying gesture again, bow slightly, and thank the host/hostess/chef for their hospitality with the phrase, “gochisosama deshita”.

Slurping

Slurping, when eating noodles or sipping tea, is acceptable in Japan; this is because Japanese people like to eat their food very hot and the act of slurping helps to cool down the steaming hot noodles or tea. Slurping is also considered an act of appreciation.

Using Chopsticks Correctly

There are certain manners that should be followed when using chopsticks in Japan. Learn basic chopstick etiquette before you travel to Japan!

Before eating, do not rub your wooden chopsticks together to remove possible splinters as this implies that the chopsticks are low quality and that the restaurant is cheap. Remove chopsticks from the paper sleeve and place them on the chopstick holder when not in use. If there is no holder, make one out of the paper sleeve.

Do not make gestures using your chopsticks or stick your chopsticks into a communal dish; instead, turn them around so that you pick up food with the opposite end.

An absolute ‘no no’ is to stick your chopsticks into a bowl of rice and leave them there upright or to pass food to someone else from your chopsticks to theirs - these are gestures used during traditional funeral rites in Japan when mourners use chopsticks to pass the bones of the deceased from relative to relative. Therefore replicating these gestures at the dinner table would be regarded as very bad taste.

Of course, as in any culture, there are rude people as well as polite people. During your travels throughout Japan, you may encounter Japanese teenagers shovelling down their food, but for the most part, the Japanese follow a strict dining code.