page_title: Customs and etiquette in Japanese dining
section_title: Chopsticks and bowls
hierarchical_section_title: Customs and etiquette in Japanese dining / Overview / Chopsticks and bowls
context_page_description: Japanese dining etiquette is a set of traditional perceptions governing specific expectations which outlines general standards of how one should behave and respond in various dining situations.
context_section_description: The proper usage of chopsticks (hashi) is the most important table etiquette in Japan. There are many traditions and perceptions surrounding the use of chopsticks (はし, hashi). Chopsticks are never left sticking vertically into rice, as this behaviour, which is called Tate-bashi (たて箸; たてばし), resembles incense sticks (which are usually placed vertically in sand during offerings to the dead). This may easily offend some Japanese people. Using chopsticks to spear food is also frowned upon and it is considered very bad manners to bite chopsticks. Other important perceptions to remember include the following:
  Hold chopsticks towards their end, and not in the middle or the front third.
  Chopsticks not in use should be laid down in front of the meal with the tip to the left. This is also the correct position in which to place chopsticks after the meal's conclusion.
  Do not pass food with chopsticks directly to somebody else's chopsticks. This technique, which is called Hiroi-bashi (拾い箸; ひろいばし), is only used at funerals, where the bones of the cremated body of the dead person are passed from person to person in this manner. When passing food to someone else during a meal (a questionable practice in public), one should pick up the food with one's own chopsticks, reversing the chopsticks to use the end which were not in direct contact with the handlers mouth, and place it on a small plate, allowing the recipient to retrieve it (with the recipient's own chopsticks). If no other utensils are available while sharing plates of food, the ends of the chopsticks are used to retrieve the shared food. Mismatched chopsticks are not to be used.
  Do not move chopsticks around in the air too much and play with them.
  Do not move around plates or bowls with chopsticks.
  Do not hover or wave chopsticks over the dishes set on a table (which often is done by mistake to choose which food to eat first). This behaviour, in Japanese called Mayoi-bashi (迷い箸; まよいばし), is perceived as inappropriate, as this portrays the personality of impatience and greedy in the context of Japanese dining etiquette. To avoid, it is important to decide which food to eat before using chopsticks to move the food onto a plate.
  To separate a piece of food into two pieces, exert controlled pressure on the chopsticks while moving them apart from each other.
  Do not place chopsticks so that they point at someone else. This is perceived as a symbolic threat.
  To make sure that any sauce or liquid attached to the food does not drip from the food or chopsticks, food which has been dipped into a soy sauce or similar kind should not be carried with chopsticks; this taboo is called Namida-bashi (涙箸; なみだばし). It is considered to be immature and unclean when the sauce or liquid from the food is dripped on the table.
  Put the chopsticks onto the table before talking and do not use the chopsticks to gesture or point during conversation.
  Chopsticks should, after being picked up with one hand, be held firm while considering three key points, that the thumb is placed just like how a pencil is held, ensure the thumb is touched with the upper part of the chopstick. Another part of the chopstick, the lower part is stood still and rest in the index finger. Make sure that arm is relaxed so it forms a gentle curve.
  The traditional perception supposes a diner to hold the chopsticks (hashi) in the right hand and with the left hand pick up the bowl so that it is close to the mouth, but should not touch it by the mouth except when drinking soup. Eating with the chopsticks in the left hand or without a hand picking up the bowl (except for larger types of dishes which are normally not supposed to be picked up) is traditionally perceived as improper table manners. However, that perception has started to fade away in modern time. The Japanese customarily slurp noodle soup dishes like ramen, udon, and soba. When slurping noodles quickly, the soup supposedly clings to the noodles, making the dish more flavourful.
caption: Japanese style chopsticks (お箸) are placed on a chopsticks rest (箸置き)
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