Japanese Table Manners

A restaurant with both tables and tatami seating

Tables and Seating

Some restaurants in Japan have low tables and cushions on tatami floor instead of (or in
addition to) Western style chairs and tables. Shoes and slippers have to be removed before
stepping on tatami. Also, avoid stepping onto cushions other than your own. See our sitting
page for more details about sitting techniques and rules.

Eating
Wet towels (oshibori) are provided at most restaurant to clean your hands before eating. After
ordering, it is common to wait for everyone's order and then to start the meal with the phrase
"itadakimasu" ("I gratefully receive"). If a dish is better eaten right away but others at the
table have not been served yet, the phrases "osaki ni dzo" ("please go ahead") or "osaki ni
itadakimasu" ("allow me to start before you") can be useful.
When eating from small bowls, it is correct manner to pick up the bowl with your hand and
lead it close to your mouth when eating from it; however, larger types of dishes should
generally not be picked up. When eating from shared dishes (as it is commonly done at some
restaurants such as izakaya), it is polite to use the opposite end of your chopsticks or
dedicated serving chopsticks for moving food.
Blowing your nose at the table, burping and audible munching are considered bad manners in
Japan. On the other hand, it is considered good style to empty your dishes to the last grain of
rice. If there are food items that you do not like or cannot eat, replacements may be available

at restaurants or ryokan if you tell them in advance. Otherwise, it is advisable to leave the
items on the dish.
After finishing your meal, it is generally good manner to return all your dishes to how they
were at the start of the meal. This includes replacing the lids on dishes and putting your
chopsticks back on the chopstick rest or in its paper holder. Conclude the meal with the
phrase "gochissama deshita" ("thank you for the feast") which includes gratitude not only
towards the cook but also the ingredients consumed.

Rule of thumb: at the end of the meal, return all your dishes to how they were at the start of
the meal (minus the food)

Drinking
Do not start drinking until everybody at the table has a drink and the glasses are raised for a
drinking salute, which usually is "kampai".
When drinking alcoholic beverages, it is customary to serve each other, rather than pour your
own drink. Periodically check your friends' cups and refill their drinks if their cups are
getting empty. Likewise, if someone wants to serve you more alcohol, you should drink some
from your glass before holding it towards that person.
While it is considered bad manners to become obviously drunk in some formal restaurants,
for example high-end restaurants that serve kaiseki ryori (Japanese haute cuisine), the same is
not true for other types of restaurants such as izakaya, as long as you do not bother other
guests.
If you do not drink alcohol, it is not impolite to say so and request for other beverages
instead. Non-alcoholic beverages that are usually available include alcohol-free beer, tea,
juices and carbonated drinks.

Having a kampai before drinking

How to eat...
... rice
Hold the rice bowl in one hand and the chopsticks in the other. Lift
the bowl towards your mouth while eating. Do not pour soy sauce
over white, cooked rice.
... sushi
Pour some soy sauce into the small dish provided. It is considered
bad manners to waste soy sauce, so try not to pour more sauce than
you will be using.
You do not need to add wasabi into the soy sauce, as sushi pieces
that go well with wasabi will contain it already. However, if you
choose to add wasabi, use only a small amount so as not to offend
the sushi chef. If you do not like wasabi, you can request that none
is added into your sushi.
In general, you are supposed to eat a sushi piece in one bite.
Attempts to separate a piece into two generally end in the
destruction of the beautifully prepared sushi. Hands or chopsticks
can be used to eat sushi.
In case of nigiri-zushi, dip the piece into the soy sauce upside-

down so that the fish enters the sauce. A few kinds of nigiri-zushi,
for example, marinated pieces, should not be dipped into soy
sauce.
In case of gunkan-zushi, pour a small amount of soy sauce over the
sushi piece rather than dipping it into the sauce.
... sashimi
Pour some soy sauce into the small dish provided. Put some
wasabi on the sashimi piece, but be careful not to use too much as
this will overpower the taste of the fish. Dip the sashimi pieces into
the soy sauce. Some types of sashimi are enjoyed with ground
ginger rather than wasabi.
... miso soup
Drink the miso soup out of the bowl as if it were a cup, and fish
out the solid food pieces with your chopsticks.
... noodles
Using your chopsticks, lead the noodles into your mouth. You may
want to try to copy the slurping sound of people around you if you
are dining in a noodle shop. Rather than being bad manner,
slurping noodles is considered evidence of enjoying the meal and
enhances the flavor.
In case of noodle soups, be careful of splashing the noodles back
into the liquid. If a ceramic spoon is provided, use it to drink the
soup; otherwise, lift the bowl to your mouth and drink from it
directly.
... curry rice (and other rice dishes with a sauce)
Japanese curry rice and other rice dishes, in which the rice is
mixed with a sauce (for example, some domburi dishes) can be
difficult to eat with chopsticks. Large spoons are often provided
for these dishes, instead.

... big pieces of food (e.g. prawn tempura, tofu, korokke)

Separate into bite sized pieces with your chopsticks (this takes
some exercise), or just bite off a piece and put the rest back onto
your plate.

INDONESIA TABLE MANNERS

Table manners are the etiquette used when eating. This includes the appropriate use
of

utensils.

Different

cultures

have

different

standards

for

table

manners.

Indonesia has some rules when we eat something and use utensils. Let's find out
what are them.

Use your right hand when picking up and eating food.

Keep your left hand at your side.

Don't pass food with your left hand.

Don't begin to eat or drink until the oldest man at the table has been served
and has begun.

If you must use a toothpick, use it while covering your mouth with both hands.

Don't chew and talk at the same time. Take each morsel in small bites and
don't swallow in big bites.

If you tasted something and didn't like it. Put it aside your own plate.

men are served before women.

If you use a spoon and a fork, you hold a tablespoon in your right- hand and a
fork in your left- hand.

Some statements above are the rules when we eat something and use utensils in
Indonesia (Indonesian table Manners). You can use that to make polite situation
when you eating.

1) As soon as the hostess picks up her napkin, pick yours up and lay it on your lap.
Sometimes a roll of bread is wrapped in it; if so, toke it out and put it on your side
plate.
2) The Soup Course
Dinner usually begins with soup. The largest spoon at your place is the soupspoon. It
will be beside your plate at the right-hand side.
3) The Fish Course
If there is a fish course, it will probably follow the soup. There may be a special fork
for the fish, or it may be similar to the meat fork. Often it is smaller.
4) The Meat Course
The main Course is usually served by the host himself, especially if it is a fowl or a
roast which need to be carved. He will often ask each guest what piece he prefers,
and it is quite proper to state your preference as to lean or fat, dark or light.
5) Using Knife and Fork

If you have English and American friends you will notice a few differences in their
customs of eating. For the main or meat course, the English keep the fork in the left
hand, point curved downward, and bring the food to the mouth either by sticking the
points onto it or in the case of soft vegetables, by placing it firmly on the fork in this
position with the knife. Americans carve the meat in the same position, then lay down
the knife and taking the fork in the right hand with the point turned up, push it under a
small piece of food without the help of the knife and bring it to the moth right-side-up.
6) Helping Yourself and Refusing
If a servant passes food around, he will pass the dish in at your left hand so that you
can conveniently serve yourself with your right hand. Never serve yourself while the
dish is on your right; it is then the turn of your neighbor on the right. It is polite to take
some of everything that is passed to you. But if there is something you may not like,
you may quietly say: "No thank you."Zanzibar
7) Second Helpings
The hostess may or may not ask if you would like a second helping, according to the
formality of the meal. If she does and you accept it, you should pass your plate to her
or to the servant with the knife and fork still lying on it.
8) The Salad Course
A salad is eaten with a fork only held in the right hand with points turned up. There is
usually a special one for the salad, a little smaller than the meat fork.
9) Bread and Butter
Bread is taken in the fingers and laid on the side plate or the edge of the large plate,
it is never take with a fork. Butter is taken from the butter dish with the butter knife
and placed on the side plate, not on one's bread.
10) Other Things on the Table
When there are things on the middle of the table, such as bread, butter, jelly, pickles,
nits, candies, you should not take any until the hostess has suggested that they be
passed.
11) Leaving the Table

It is impolite for a guest to leave the table during a meal, or before the hostess gives
the signal at the end. When the hostess indicates that the dinner is over, she will
start to rise from her seat and all the guests will rise from theirs at the same time.
12) Various rules and Suggestions
Sit up straight on your chair; Do not put much food in your mouth at a time; Drink
only when there is no food in your mouth; Try not to get into your mouth anything that
will have to be taken out; Do not make any nose when you eat; Do not clean your
teeth at the table or anywhere in public, either with your finger or a tooth pick, not
even with you tongue.