Manners in Japan ~ food version ~

It is good to know the Japanese food manners if you have plan to visit here or already you live.
Before start eating, we say “itadakimasu”, means that appreciation for plants, animals, and fish. Food is taking their lives. Also appreciate with people who raise those plants and animals, take, cook, and serve. Before eating, there is process to deliver the food. So we appreciate all before eating.
After eating, we say “Gochisousama” and bow to show appreciation.
How to hold a rice bowl and miso soup bowl

Put rice bowl on 4 fingers, attach thumb by the edge of bowl. This is the correct way to hold the rice bowl. Miso soup bowl is the same.

How to use chopsticks

Hold one chopstick with the index finger, the middle finger and the thumb, in the same manner as when you hold a pencil.
Move the chopstick as you would to write. This chopstick will be the upper one.
Put the other chopstick between the bottom of the thumb and the tip of the fourth finger.
The lower chopstick should remain still and you should only move the upper chopstick when you pick up food.
(http://www.alc.co.jp/speaking/article/kihon/66.html)

These are all breach of manners.
No moving chopsticks on the dish to think pick one.
No pull the dish with chopsticks.
No lick the chopstick to take off stuff on it.
No stick chopsticks on food.
No stir the food with chopstick to look for your favorite thing.
No drip the liquid from chopsticks
No point out anyone with chopsticks
No stick chopsticks on the rice bowl
No put the chopsticks on the dish and chopsticks point face to opposite side.
No pass the food with chopsticks. Put the food on the dish instead.

No talk when you have food in your mouth.
No make noise silvers.
No put elbows on table
No play while you are eating
No leave your seat while you have meal
Choose the better topics while you are eating.

Enjoy your meal with good manners!

How to eat grilled fish

Eat from left side little by little. You can leave the fish skin.
Put skin and bones together on the edge of the dish.
After you ate one side of fish, take out the big bones with chopsticks. But leave head and tail. Don’t turn over the fish.

Eat triangle

Eat triangle means to eat orderly to keep balance. For instance, Eat rice one bite, then eat side dish, and take some miso soup. Then start eating rice again. This is eating triangle. As you see the right picture, you can start from miso soup of course. But you have to keep eating orderly.

Food