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A Japanese Take On Three Square Meals: 1. Don't Break The Rules of Chopstick Etiquette

Rice is a staple of Japanese meals, which are called "gohan" and include rice served with sides dishes and soup at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Traditional Japanese breakfast consists of rice, miso soup, and dishes like grilled fish or rolled omelets, while popular lunch foods include ramen, soba, udon, and beef bowls. Dinner is often the main meal and can include dishes from sushi to chicken cutlets, while modern Japanese cuisine has been influenced by other Asian and Western styles.

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Стефания Чугунова
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36 views

A Japanese Take On Three Square Meals: 1. Don't Break The Rules of Chopstick Etiquette

Rice is a staple of Japanese meals, which are called "gohan" and include rice served with sides dishes and soup at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Traditional Japanese breakfast consists of rice, miso soup, and dishes like grilled fish or rolled omelets, while popular lunch foods include ramen, soba, udon, and beef bowls. Dinner is often the main meal and can include dishes from sushi to chicken cutlets, while modern Japanese cuisine has been influenced by other Asian and Western styles.

Uploaded by

Стефания Чугунова
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Japanese people call each meal "gohan." For example, breakfast is called "asa-gohan.

" A
bowl of steamed rice is included in typical Japanese meals and can be part of breakfast,
lunch, or dinner. Side dishes are called okazu and are served with rice and soup. Rice is a
staple of the Japanese diet. Rice cakes (mochi) are also commonly consumed. They range
from sweet to savory and have many different preparations from boiled to grilled.

A Japanese Take on Three Square Meals


Traditional Japanese breakfast consists of steamed rice, miso (soybean paste) soup, and
side dishes, such as grilled fish, tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), pickles, nori (dried seaweed),
natto, and so on. Various rice bowls and noodle dishes are popular for lunch. For example,
ramen, soba, udon, and gyudon beef bowls are popular. Many people take bento lunch
boxes to school or work. Dinner is usually the main meal of the day and can range from
sushi to tori katsu, which is like a chicken cutlet. Modern Japanese dishes are highly
influenced by other Asian and Western cuisines.

1. Don't break the rules of chopstick etiquette.


The Japanese will be impressed if you're comfortable using chopsticks.
But making the following faux pas will definitely raise eyebrows. Never
stick your chopsticks vertically in your bowl of rice — this resembles a
funeral ritual. If you need to put them down, always use the chopstick
holder next to your plate. Avoid using your chopsticks to pass food to
someone else's chopsticks, as this is another taboo. When sharing
dishes, use your chopsticks to take the food and put it on your own
plate before eating it. And don't rub your chopsticks together – it's
rude.

2. Don't wear shoes indoors.


If you're visiting a Japanese home, your shoes should be immediately
removed once you're through the door. “Outdoor” shoes are
considered unclean, and for this reason they're replaced with “indoor”
slippers at the entranceway. This no-shoe rule also extends to
traditional ryoken hotels, some public spaces like temples and shrines,
and schools and hospitals. If you see shoes lined up at a doorway or
entrance then you can be sure that they must be removed, and usually
slippers will be available for you to slip on.

Shoes are also a no-no in the areas of restaurants where diners sit on
the floor on traditional tatami mats. In this case, slippers are not worn
at all — they could damage the straw matting — so make sure your
socks match and are free of holes! 
Another important rule is to exchange your “indoor” slippers for the
special “toilet” slippers when using the toilet. These are kept at the
doorway of the toilet area (which is often separate from the bathroom)
specially for this purpose. And don't forget to once again do the switch
when leaving the toilet area!

6. Don't blow your nose in public.


Blowing your nose in public in Japan is considered to be uncouth.
Find a bathroom or another private place if you have to attend to a
running nose. It's common to see people wearing face masks in public,
especially in the winter. This means they have a cold and want to avoid
spreading germs and infecting others.

7. Don't leave a tip.


Unlike in the U.S. where tipping is mandatory, Japan does not have a
tipping culture, and leaving a tip may even be taken as an insult.
Service is included in the bill at restaurants, and even taxi drivers will
refuse to have a fare rounded off. Leave a few coins on the table and
the waiter will surely run after you to return your forgotten change!
9. Don't point.
Pointing at people or things is considered rude in Japan. Instead of
using a finger to point at something, the Japanese use a hand to gently
wave at what they would like to indicate. When referring to
themselves, people will use their forefinger to touch their nose instead
of pointing at themselves. It's also considered bad manners to use your
chopsticks to point at something.
10. Don't pour soy sauce on your rice.
n Japan, soy sauce is never poured directly on rice. Always pour soy
sauce into the small dish provided specially for this and not directly on
your rice or other food. Then use your chopsticks to dip the sushi or
sashimi in the sauce. 
1. Avoiding giving and receiving things with one hand.
In Japan, both hands are always used when giving and receiving
things, including small objects like business cards. When paying at a
shop or cafe, it's common to place the money on the small tray next to
the cash register instead of handing it directly to the cashier.

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