When it comes to Japanese food, as delicious and ethnic they look and taste there are certain dining etiquettes which are pre-essential for the respect of the distinct Japanese culture.
Greetings
Starting the meal with a prayer is the primary and traditional way in which Japanese people commence their meals.
The greetings for various expressions are different and it marks the essence of their culture, the greetings usually comes in the form of gratitude ‘Itadakimasu’ which refers to ‘I gratefully receive’, and after the completion of their meal, they thank each other ‘Gochisosama deshita’, which means, “Thank you for the meal”.
Chopsticks
In Japan the table manners hold a huge impact in the dining room and they revolve a lot around chopsticks. Chopsticks should never be torn apart as it is a sign of disrespect for the chef resembling that the cutlery is not finest. The one more important thing is that they should not be left standing vertically in the bowl as it is the way in which food is served during the funeral.
Placing your chopsticks on a “Hashioki”, or chopstick stand is a practice which shows neatness and respect. It’s not polite to talk while holding your chopsticks or move it while talking as it has your saliva and it can spread on the food when you move it.
Drinking
Drinks are served but they are not consumed by a single person leaving the others to watch it. In Japan, people raise their glasses together before drinking as a drinking salute which is called as ‘Kampaii’.
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