Really interesting info, Timothy! I've been intrigued by Japanese culture since reading Shogun many years ago!
Thanks!
Thanks Dawgluver!
Here's a bit more Japanese trivia for you!
Chop Sticks:
Food should not be transferred from one's own chopsticks to someone else's chopsticks. Japanese people will always offer their plate to transfer it directly, or pass a person's plate along if the distance is great. Transferring directly with chopsticks is how the bones of the dead are passed as part of Japanese funeral rites.
The pointed ends of the chopsticks should be placed on a chopstick rest when the chopsticks are not being used, but only if you keep the chopsticks within the area of your eating area. When a chopstick rest is not available as it is often the case in restaurants using waribashi (disposable chopsticks), a person may make a chopstick rest by folding the paper case that contained the chopsticks.
Reversing chopsticks to use the opposite clean end is commonly used to move food from a communal plate, although it is not considered to be proper manners. Rather, the group should ask for extra chopsticks to transfer food from a communal plate.
Chopsticks should not be crossed on a table, as this symbolizes death, or vertically stuck in the rice, which is done during a funeral.
It is rude to rub wooden chopsticks together after breaking them apart, as this communicates to the host that the user thinks the chopsticks are cheap.
Chopsticks should be placed right-left direction; the tips should be on the left. Placing diagonal, vertical and crossing each stick are not acceptable both in home and restaurant manners. Placing the chop sticks so that the pointed end faces someone else was considered an invitation to combat in old Japan. The chop sticks, in that position are a representation of a sword or knife. To point a sword or knife at another person is a direct invitation to combat.
In formal use, disposable chopsticks (waribashi) should be replaced into the wrapper at the end of a meal.
It is considered acceptable to have your own chop sticks on your person. Many people in old Japan traveled with thier own chop sticks on them. If chop sticks are available when you are a guest, it's not proper to display your own, as it will be interpreted as an insult to your hosts offer of chop sticks.
One must never use chop sticks for anything but eating. Pointing with them is very, very bad and using them to drum on the table like using drum sticks is considered extremely bad manners. Waving them about is also considered a challenge to fight. It's the equivalent of pointing with a sword or knife.
In Japan, eating sushi with your fingers is proper. There is a precise way to do so. However, if eating in a Chinese establishment, eating with the fingers is considered extremely bad manners. The chop sticks or spoon should be used at all times for all things to eat.
The host should always prepare each bite to be just a little larger than Westerners are used to. This is proper. The bite is supposed to fill your mouth. If a piece is too large to eat comfortably, it's acceptable to bite off half the piece and then place the other half on your plate until you eat it on your very next bite. If eating that "leftover" piece is delayed while eating something else, it's taken to mean it was not worth eating and you had to get the taste out of your mouth with another bite of something else.
If one insults an Itamae, they have very subtle ways to insult you back. They can intentionally make each bite much too large. This can be done to a customer who is too loud. It it basically to shut them up by over-filling thier mouth. They may also place *thier* knife in a manner that is a challenge to you. If you ever see one place their knife so that the point is facing you, you've done something to insult them badly. The Itamae is telling you politely that he wants to kick your butt.
Lastly, NEVER, never, never offer to shake hands with an Itamae. The offer will place him in a position that has no resolution. He cannot touch you with his hands. To do so would insult you and his profession. He also cannot fail to accept your offer of handshake, as that would insult you as a guest who has offered to exchange touches. If offered, he will react. Then he will quickly shake your hand, apologize and run for the back kitchen area to clean his hands. Anything else and he would insult the other customers.
Ultimate politeness is what the Japanese are all about. There are many hundreds of other small parts to this.
