Hashi~Chopsticks

While visiting Stratford, Ontario last week, my friend Paula and I came across a pair of "hillbilly" chopsticks in one of the shops. We laughed when we saw them but it got me thinking about using chopsticks in Japan.

Foolproof "hillbilly" chopsticks

Of course Hello Kitty was popular

Many of the kids I taught had "cheater" or trainer chopsticks that were attached at the top, making it easier to grab food. They were much cuter than the hillbilly chopsticks, with cartoon or Disney characters on them. 

I was able to use chopsticks before moving to Japan, but I wasn't certain about the etiquette of eating with them. Much like trying to figure out which fork to use at a formal dinner, I needed to educate myself on what was common practice since chopsticks are a necessity when eating in Japan.

Japanese chopsticks are made of wood and bamboo and are usually lacquered. Some have grooves at the bottom to prevent food from slipping. Convenience stores and some restaurants will provide disposable chopsticks known as otemoto or waribashi. You remove them from the paper wrapper and split them apart. Some people will scrape or rub them together to avoid splinters. However, there's no need to do this with a decent pair of chopsticks.

Waribashi~disposable chopsticks

Before you start your meal, it's common to say itadakimasu which is the equivalent to "let's eat" or "thanks for the feast".

When you are done eating, you place your chopsticks back in the wrapper they came in.

At the end of the meal, you say gochisosama deshita which translates to "it was a feast".



If you are dining at someone's house or a more expensive restaurant, you will be given a nicer set of chopsticks and they will have a rest or stand, called hashioki. When you aren't using your chopsticks, place them on the stand. If you place them across your bowl or plate, that indicates you are done with your dish.

I made these hashioki in a Japanese
pottery class. 
The eggplant is my favourite.

Place the chopsticks side by side and
horizontal so they aren't pointing at
the person sitting across from you.
*Don't cross them as that symbolizes
death.

It's taboo to stand your chopsticks up vertically in a bowl of rice. This is a ritual at a funeral and inappropriate when dining with others. If you are taking a break from eating, place them on your hashioki. It's a common misconception that rice is difficult to eat with chopsticks. Japanese rice is short grained and when cooked, the rice sticks and clumps together, making it easy to pick up. 

Don't stab your food with chopsticks. When grabbing food from a communal bowl, reverse your chopsticks so you aren't using the end that goes in your mouth. Never pass food to another person chopstick to chopstick. This resembles a custom at Japanese funerals where cremated bones are transferred to an urn. 

Other Don'ts:

*Don't lick or suck your chopsticks (no matter how delicious the sauce may be).
*Don't use them as drumsticks, or play with them in general.
*Don't move a dish or plate closer to you with your chopsticks.
*Don't point your chopsticks at someone. Known as sashi bashi  it's considered very bad manners and probably the worst thing you could do at the dinner table.
*Don't cut food with your chopsticks. If there's a piece of food that's too big, bring it to your mouth, bite it, and return the remainder to your plate.
*Don't pick something up, change your mind, and return it to the communal bowl.
*Don't dig around a dish looking for something good; choose from the top of the dish.

If you create a faux pas, most Japanese people will forgive you. Even so, knowing some of the etiquette will reflect well on you and your fellow diners will be extremely pleased. With practice, you can become so skilled at using chopsticks, that you will be able to pick up a grain of rice or a single bean.

When dining out in Japan, chances are you may feel judged, since others will watch you to ensure you don't blunder. I think the most difficult aspect of dining out was getting used to eating ramen and soba noodles. In Japan, no spoon is used when sipping soup. Instead, you bring the bowl to your mouth, slurping the liquid while shovelling the noodles into your mouth with chopsticks.  It's very uncomfortable at first, as it goes against everything we are taught as children at the dinner table, defying our basic table manners. When you first sit in a ramen shop, it's shocking to hear how noisy everyone is. Apparently it's a compliment to the cook so the noise is welcome.

 

At least I never had to
wear this! 

After mastering the art of using chopsticks in Japan, you then have to learn the etiquette for every other Asian country. Chopsticks across Asia are made with different materials and are varying lengths. Perhaps India is the safest bet since there are no utensils there and you can eat with your hands.



So the next time you go out for sushi or to any other Asian restaurant, ask for chopsticks. Leave the fork and knife on the table and experiment a little. In no time at all, you will be a pro! You'll never need to use a pair of hillybilly chopsticks again.

~MT