HOW
TO USE CHOPSTICKS |
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Several customers have asked us to publish this information. This page is dedicated to the proper handling, manners, and etiquette when using chopsticks. For those of your friends who are starting to use chopsticks, and for children, please do not hesitate to ask us for chopsticks with "training wheels". These are a pair of chopsticks with a rubber band in one end that makes them easy to use.
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Chopsticks
in most restaurants come in a paper package and are the type called Waribashi
(half-split chopsticks). Take the chopsticks out of the wrapper and separate
the back end. If you see wood splinters, rub both ends lightly. It is considered
bad manners to rub them as though you wanted to start a fire, since this
is indicating to the host that the chopsticks are of bad quality and require
lots of cleaning |
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There
are minute variations, but this is the most common way of holding chopsticks.
To start, hold the bottom chopstick in the crease between your thumb and
index finger. Let the middle of the chopstick rest close to the tip of your
middle finger. This chopstick does not move when you use them. |
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Hold the top chopstick just as you would hold a pen. You should hold the chopsticks at the upper half of them, as shown in the picture. To grab a piece of food, just move the top chopstick, as shown in the next picture. All of these pictures can be enlarged if you click on them. |
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Move your cursor over this picture to see the action of opening and closing the chopsticks. Click on the picture to see a larger image of the open chopsticks. | |
When picking up or serving a piece of sushi or sashimi, it is considered polite to rotate your chopsticks and use the back end of the chopsticks. This maneuver takes practice, but it is recommended, particularly if you are eating in a group. To align the back end of your chopsticks, tap them on a clean area of the sushi boat or on the table, not on your plate. This action is shown in the next picture. |
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Other important notes regarding chopstick manners are:
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This page was developed as a service to our customers. If you want to send us your feedback, please send an email to kyotowebmaster@gmail.com or click here |