Eating with chopsticks
Learning to use chopsticks is not that difficult and the more
they are used the more natural they feel. Regardless of how skillful you are at
eating with chopsticks, you should pay attention to the basic courtesies and customs that
are associated with using chopsticks. Let's look at the things use should never do
with chopsticks. 1. Never use
chopsticks to point at someone.
2. Don't bite the chopsticks.
3. Don't lick the chopsticks.
4. Don't stab food with the chopsticks.
Although this is the easy way to pick up a piece of food, the proper way would be to hold
the food between the two chopsticks.
Never stand chopsticks up in the bowl. |
Don't lick or bite the chopsticks.
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| 5. Don't stand the
chopsticks up in soup or any bowl. They should be either placed on the side of the
bowl closest to you (Figure 1) or in front of the bowl on a chopstick holder (Figure
2) 6. When taking food from a
bowl not your own, or from the middle of the table, never use the end of the
chopsticks that enters the mouth. Instead, turn the chopsticks around and pick up
the food with the opposite end.
Slurping is... OK!
Slurping your noodles in the western world is considered rude, but in
Japan it's part of everyday eating. You can slurp your raman, udon, miso
soup, spaghetti, and any hot drink without embarrasement! After you get
used to slurping you will eventually have a hard time letting go of the
practice. You might even find out it's not as tasty when you can't
slurp!
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