What are the do's and dont's of a japanaese reastruant?

[megun]

yeah so i like dont know all the rules and that. a little help anyone?

[gynocrat]

Are you going for business or what? I can only tell you my experience as from a business POV. Are you a male or female...yes, this makes a difference.

Normally, in restaurants, you'll be sitting on tatami. You take off your shoes when you come in [some places have you take them off before entering your dining room]. They give you slippers to wear. ^_^.

Some places have a little canal under the tables for your legs. Don't sit 'cross legs' if you're a girl, you should sit with knees folded under you, or off to the side. [I]Of course I sat cross-legs because despite my gender I am 'da Crat.

If you've been invited to dinner, please try to eat a bit of everything served. Being Jewish I had a hard time because nothing is kosher in Japan. I had to 'insult' on occasion because there are just some things I will not eat. And please know how to use sticks...the good food places won't have forks and asking for one is...well... ((^__^))

Some table basics:

The hand towel...it's this warm towel they give you, never use it on your face! Use the UNUSED end of your sticks to take food from the main platter! Don't eat everything on your plate and don't finish your drink.

Never, ever, put your sticks standing up in your rice and just leave them there. There will be a chopsticks rest by your plate, use it.

Now I broke this rule tons of times, but tuff...I dirty my rice! Japanese feel that rice should remain unsoiled by sauce or not cluttered with other food. I take the Chinese approach--it all goes down the same hole.

Sake or beer are fine at dinner, tea and soda for lunch.

Common sense things: NEVER blow your nose at the table even if there's no food on it. Resist lighting a smoke even after dinner.

Some things if you're a woman: Don't slurp your noodles, don't tip, and don't fix your hair or makeup at the table. Don't ask for hard liquor, and don't chew gum.

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Anyone else have anything? I'm sure I'm missing something.

[kazuchiyo]

Sake or beer are fine at dinner, tea and soda for lunch.

Common sense things: NEVER blow your nose at the table even if there's no food on it. Resist lighting a smoke even after dinner.

Some things if you're a woman: Don't slurp your noodles, don't tip, and don't fix your hair or makeup at the table. Don't ask for hard liquor, and don't chew gum.


-Beer is fine for lunch depending on the restaurant.
-Expect that in many places, you'll be served tea and have to ask for water, not the other way around.
-Smoking is often to be expected, also depending on the restaurant, though this is slowly changing.
-Both men and women slurp noodles.
-Both men and women shouldn't tip in Japan, but the idea that one shouldn't tip at a Japanese restaurant in the US because Japanese don't tip is POOR PRACTICE.
-Japanese in general don't drink liquor with meals.

-There are often toothpicks provided, but cover your mouth with your other hand when using.
-'mayoi-hashi' (lost chopsticks, i.e. floating chopsticks with which you are not sure what to take) are poor manners. You should choose with determination when eating.
-there's a specific polite way to pick up your chopsticks. Hard to explain so some internet searching might be in order for that.

[gynocrat]

-Both men and women slurp noodles.

You slurp noodles at MY table and I will ask you to leave!! :D

Seriously, it's bad enough being the only Americans in the room and having all eyes on you anyway, try slurping a noodle or two and see what happens. My friend did it and while it was okay for her boyfriend to do it, she got stared at like she was picking her nose and wiping it on the plate.

Perhaps it depends on the clientele? :confused:

[kazuchiyo]

You slurp noodles at MY table and I will ask you to leave!! :D

Seriously, it's bad enough being the only Americans in the room and having all eyes on you anyway, try slurping a noodle or two and see what happens. My friend did it and while it was okay for her boyfriend to do it, she got stared at like she was picking her nose and wiping it on the plate.

Perhaps it depends on the clientele? :confused:

I think it's more to do with the fact that you don't often see Americans doing it (or who CAN do it in general,) becoming a novelty factor.
There is no gender-issue as far as slurping noodles in Japan goes. In fact, there's a great scene about this in the movie "Tampopo," where in the midst of the growing bubble economy a group of young Japanese women are learning manners in the foreign way, and the teacher tells them "Though you are accustomed to slurping noodles, you must not make a single sound when eating pasta as foreigners find this very rude." and a foreign man decides to mess with them by devouring his food while slurping loudly.
Sort of a bit on perception vs. reality in the culture clash, but very telling.

[ShadowSoul121]

um well in Japan chopsticks aren't just used for eating....long metal chopticks are used to pass your bones after you've been cremated so...NEVER EVER pass food chopsticks to chopsticks, if you want to give food to someone else put it on their plate or let them pick it up off your plate...>.< and if you leave your chopsticks standing streight up in your food...that has something to do with death too...there's a lot of manners when it comes to chopsticks. Some of them are kind of common sense. For example, no drumming on the table or plate with your chopsticks. If you're not used to using chopsticks than you should practice before hand. Don't lean over you food, pick it up if you need to. Just do a search you'll probably find all the information you need.

[Shizu-san]

Actually, in Japan, if you DON'T slurp your noodles, it's actually considered a little rude, isn't it? Of course, this isn't to say that you should become the next black hole of noodle slurping. I don't think any culture would like that.

Also, don't leave little pieces of rice sticking to your chopsticks, even if you're finished. I don't think that's an official rule of Japanese ettiquette but I know that some people find it slightly... annoying.

[SailorMaddieMouse]

and if you leave your chopsticks standing streight up in your food...that has something to do with death too...

I believe that chopsticks standing straight in food is how you present offerings for dead. Especially in rice, but I'm not sure about other foods. It's not a nice reminder at the dinner table. :)

Actually, in Japan, if you DON'T slurp your noodles, it's actually considered a little rude, isn't it? Of course, this isn't to say that you should become the next black hole of noodle slurping. I don't think any culture would like that.

Slurping is a sign that.. oh... what's the word... >_< you're enjoying the meal... it's very good... something like that. It's a sign of appreciation or such. :p

[Iyashii]

Kinda like how the ancient Romans burped to show appreciation for the meal. ;)

The noodles tend to be rather hot, too, and slurping helps you keep from burning yourself. One of my Japanese teachers once held a demonstration while we were out eating lunch of how to properly slurp noodles and reminded us for the thrid or fourth time that we're supposed to, and even though she did it fairly quietly, there was definite slurpage going on. ^_^

[AislingNiamh]

According to my Japanese friend, don't put your bowl of miso soup on the inside of your place setting and your bowl of rice on the outside. (the rice should be in the middle of your place setting with the soup to the right) Although it's more important if you're setting a table, you still shouldn't move your dishes around like that when you're eating. Apparently, that's also connected with death.
[I wonder what the connection between death and food is in Japanese culture? There seems to be a lot of it. Can anybody think of anything like that in American/Western culture? Other than raisen pie, I mean :D]

[nicolepalmer]

personally i like slurping noodles its kind of fun!and im a girl^^ and the standing the chopsticks in food thing thats kind of funny cause i used play with my food alot when i was younger(still do sometimes now>.<) and used to do that with chopsticks.I like how the japanese are respectable when they do there eating and stuff ,but it sure would be hard to practice there way of living ecspecially when your so used to eating like a canadian/american...well a non japanese is what i mean to say

[kazuchiyo]

I like how the japanese are respectable when they do there eating and stuff ,but it sure would be hard to practice there way of living ecspecially when your so used to eating like a canadian/american...well a non japanese is what i mean to say

Hmm... this I'm not so sure of. If I had done anything wrong at the table as a child, my mom would have punished me. We also were not allowed to read or watch TV at the table, but Japanese people often watch TV while eating dinner as a family instead of talking. I don't know how I feel about that. I don't really like the idea.

[nicolepalmer]

hmm i like the idea.You don't agree that there culture is different?My two friends went to japan and they said there are very many different things Also eating its a bit different.Probably different than you and i.And yes we had certain rules at the table when i was child sheesh.Iam just saying they do things differently than what we would not only japanese ,but other cultures as well.Iam not saying iam less polite or respectful,iam just saying its different ^.^

[kazuchiyo]

No, I agree with you that it certainly is very different culturally there in many ways.
It just seemed that your first post was stating:
a: the Japanese are respectful when they eat.
b: American/Canadian Westerners are not.
I may have misunderstood what you were getting at.

[chibikodo]

Chopsticks in rice=incense sticks (for the dead) for the Chinese, so I think it might be the same for the Japanese.

[ShadowKaito]

Dont order anything.. you cant even spell.. =P just a tip, and always ask for help when ordering!

[GlazedDonuts]

Never, under any circumstance, leap onto a table and begin impersonating farm animals, including actions and sounds. You get funny looks.

Just a tip, you can keep that one with you.

[Tavisha]

Chopsticks in rice=incense sticks (for the dead) for the Chinese, so I think it might be the same for the Japanese.

It is~ My Japanese grandmother would say its rude and bad luck (because it symbolised incense to the dead) to stick chopsticks (ohashi) upright into the rice. She wasn't too found of me putting them in my mouth as a child to make a walrus face either.

Another customary thing is to finish all your gohan (cooked white rice) in the chawan (rice bowl). According to my grandmother this was because of two things. First, if you didn't finish you'll be poor when you grow up and second, if that wasn't enough, every grain you leave behind you'll have to pay penance to when you die by picking them up with your eyelashes. XD As a kid that never sounded fun, so I made sure to eat all my gohan. But, I don't know, that last bit sounds kinda Shinto to me. XD

As far as putting sauces on gohan, the only one forbidden is uncooked shouyu (soy sauce). If the meal is at a very formal setting, then its considered rude to "dirty your rice" even with cooked sauces. Informal dinning, however, like while eating Shabu Shabu, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabu_shabu) you're suppsed to dirty your rice with the cooked sauces~ its meant to be eaten that way~

Far as I know both sexes can slurp their noodles, because it means you're enjoying them. Not so much for women, but for men, its customery to give a hearty burp at the completion of the meal. Its considered a compliment and that the food was much enjoyed.

In Japan sushi is considered a finger food and most restaurants offer warm wash cloths before and after your meal to wash your hands. But, In the states it seems most people eat sushi with their ohashi in restaurants. ^_____^

Other rules are:
•don't mix your sauces together
•don't put sugar in your green tea
•don't dump your shredded crab or pickled cabbage (sukimono) onto the dinner salad. (Those are all appetizers and meant to be eaten seperately)

:D Best prank I ever played on my friend in middle school was putting wasabi on her green tea ice cream when she wasn't looking. XD

[SailorMaddieMouse]

Never, under any circumstance, leap onto a table and begin impersonating farm animals, including actions and sounds. You get funny looks.

Just a tip, you can keep that one with you.

Somehow, I feel like you're speaking from personal experience! :D

[Timeless]

This is SO a perfect set up for that "The Japanese Tradition" vid by the Rahmens? Ramens? <-comedy duo from Japan.

You can find it on the web :) Tee hee! Just google "The Japanese Tradition" It's on YouTube, too.

It's NOT true, okay? It's just a joke. Oshibori aren't reused...no sushi-geta vinegar and certainly no illegal animals or recycled animal parts! :D

[Nyanyan]

Another customary thing is to finish all your gohan (cooked white rice) in the chawan (rice bowl). According to my grandmother this was because of two things. First, if you didn't finish you'll be poor when you grow up and second, if that wasn't enough, every grain you leave behind you'll have to pay penance to when you die by picking them up with your eyelashes. XD As a kid that never sounded fun, so I made sure to eat all my gohan. But, I don't know, that last bit sounds kinda Shinto to me. XD

Yeah, my Chinese grandmother told me that too! I guess it's eastern culture thingy, since rice is somewhat a "must" in every meal.

On the contrary, I heard that we should not finish our noodles, leave some soup or some noodles behind. And, like most people say, slurp when you drink your soup.