When going out for a meal in Japan you shouldn’t assume that the same table etiquette we have in America applies in Japan. You should always say "Itadakimasu" before eating and "Gochisosama deshita" after eating. In some Japanese restaurants you may receive a small wet cloth. Use this to wash your hands before eating, then carefully fold it and set it aside on the table. Do not use it as a napkin, or to touch any part of your face with it. When eating out with others, you shouldn’t pour your own drink. You should pour your companion’s drink, and let your companion pour yours. While eating you should NEVER skewer food with your chopsticks. Slurping noodles or making loud noises while eating is okay! In fact, slurping hot food like ramen is polite, and shows that you are enjoying it. When you’re ready to pay, you usually will have to pay your bill at the register instead of giving money to the waiter/waitress. There isn’t any tipping in Japan, and the price you see on your bill is the price you should pay. After paying, note that counting your change in the restaurant (or in a store) is considered rude.
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Sarahさん、this is good point! Let me explain some words relating to the mannar.
ReplyDeleteeathing etiquette =食事（しょくじ）のマナー
wet napkin = おしぼり(some people in older generation tend to wipe their faces. haha)
checkout =お会計（かいけい）
tips=チップ
change=おつり
polite=礼儀（れいぎ）正（ただしい）
rude=失礼な（しつれい）な
pour beer =ビールをつぐ
I also heard that pointing your chopsticks at others is rude, as is scraping them against each other to wipe off splinters, and that eating sushi with your fingers is normal. Also, that restaurants normally do not provide their customers with napkins, and you might have to find your own wiping implement. Finally, I heard that it is considered quite inappropriate to leave food on your plate after eating!!
ReplyDeleteIs this correct, Asukaさん?
Pointing chopsticks to others is very rude, Yes.
ReplyDeleteAs for eathing sushi, we can eat with chopsticks too. It depends on where you eat sushi. If you go to very expensive sushi restaurant, it would be better to use hand. but in regular sushi restaurant such as rolling table sushi bar, we normally use chopsticks.
They always give us wet napkin. Otherwise, like american restaurant, napkin is already set in each table.
It is not inappropriate. We can leave them. It is very rude if we ask them to have a box to take the left food home. We never do so.
This website has some infomation about eathing manners.
http://japanesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa051401a.htm