© Mark Baker
In a restaurant or at someone's house, it is a sign of courtesy to wait for everyone to be ready before beginning to eat. If you can remember to say 'itadakimasu' as you begin to eat that is good manners. The Japanese are particular about chopsticks and would consider the following to be rude: waving chopsticks about while talking; chewing on the end of chopsticks, sticking them upright in food, and rubbing them together prior to eating. Also passing food with your chopsticks is not appropriate. If serving from a formal communal dish, use the other end of the chopsticks to help yourself to the food, placing it on your own plate, turn the chopsticks around again to eat.
Rice is a staple food and has a lot of cultural importance. Try to finish of all your rice as a sign of courtesy and if at someone's house or at a restaurant don't pour soya sauce on top of your rice (this would be equivalent to pouring ketchup all over your food). Lift the rice bowl when eating from it, do the same with soup and use your chopsticks to eat the vegetable, fish etc, found in the soup. Try not to refuse what is offered and be prepared to eat lots of fish. If you are someone’s guest, remember to compliment the host on the delicious food; ff you can remember, say 'gochisosama deshita' when finished.
