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A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

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Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#131

Post by fsckboy »

wagwang wrote: post #9

Always interesting to see the analogs of island vs continental culture when comparing UK America and Japan China. Seems like islanders, due to their reliance on trade, naturally get specialized and autistic about their craft so they can have a comparative advantage, and their obsessions carry over into stuffy traditional practices.

>Always interesting to see the analogs of island vs continental culture when comparing UK America and Japan China.

when America was settled/founded by Britains, etiquette had not been standardized in GB either so the differences are due to parallel development, not island vs continent. That probably holds even more for differences between Japan and China.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#132

Post by fsckboy »

decimalenough wrote: post #46
waffletower wrote: post #30

I lived in Japan for nearly 6 years and found that concern for faux pas such as these for hashi (chopsticks) are way way overblown. I used at least one thousand disposable pairs of chopsticks in Japan and never had the desire to smooth them -- they are higher quality than Panda Express offerings. I knew about this "taboo" prior to arrival and it was simply irrelevant. Avoid the obvious symbolic references to makura g…

Passing food by placing it directly on someone else's plate or bowl is fine. The taboo is specifically about two people holding onto the same thing at the same tine with chopsticks, the way cremated bone fragments are placed into the urn at kotsuage . Other than that, I agree. It's kind of like trying to apply Emily Post's etiquette to TV dinners: many of these "rules" would be viewed as prissy by Japanese and some (…

>holding onto the same thing at the same tine

i see what you did there

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#135

Post by markdown »

Xixi wrote: post #125
cmcaleer wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think if you were to do an Osaka version of this, the list would be limited to maybe 4 of these (licking, chopsticks upright in rice, passing between chopsticks, and pointing esp. toward a senior would be taboo). Whereas when I had a date with a girl from Kyoto, one of the first things that happened when we went to eat was she had to stop me from picking up my chopsticks impolitely and show me the proper way of doi…

I'm not sure I'd put it down entirely to Osaka versus Kyoto. My impression is that these things often have at least as much to do with upbringing, formality, and social background as with region. I don't know where you're from, so apologies if this is an unfair assumption, but in countries like the US or Australia people often seem less attuned to social class, whereas in places like the UK, France, and indeed Japan,…

Agreed. Was always taught to never put elbows on the table, but as an adult I see people do it everywhere.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#136

Post by RHSeeger »

rayiner wrote: post #123
cthalupa wrote: post #4

Interesting. Some of these are big deals (particularly the ones mentioned as important) but others I have seen Japanese people in Tokyo do quite consistently. Soroebashi - not on the table, but I've seen chopsticks aligned by pushing them against the plate hundreds of time. I've also seen them used to stir miso soup, etc. plenty. Others I don't know that I would have much of an inclination to do and haven't seen but…

You also see plenty of americans put their elbows on the table.

The original reasons for not putting your elbows on the table (limited space, as well as some others) just don't apply anymore. There's no reason _not_ to put your elbows on the table other than "that's how it's always been done". As such, at least in my opinion, the rule no longer applies.

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#138

Post by testaccount28 »

RHSeeger wrote: post #136
rayiner wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also see plenty of americans put their elbows on the table.

The original reasons for not putting your elbows on the table (limited space, as well as some others) just don't apply anymore. There's no reason _not_ to put your elbows on the table other than "that's how it's always been done". As such, at least in my opinion, the rule no longer applies.

sailors eat with their elbows on the table, to keep their fare from sliding as the boat rocks. don't look poor!

Re: A Japanese glossary of chopsticks faux pas (2022)

#139

Post by galangalalgol »

kdheiwns wrote: post #121
galangalalgol wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always do the splinter thing. I thought that was normal. If the place has disposable chopsticks it isn't the sort of place etiquette matters is it?

Even expensive restaurants in Japan use disposable chopsticks. And you only get splinters on your chopsticks because you're rubbing them in your hands and making pieces break off. In all my decades of using chopsticks, I've never had a splinter poke me. But I've seen people rub their chopsticks then complain about splinters.

There are the ones that are partly rounded and only attached for a cm or so at the top. They are fine. Then there are the square ones that are attached for half or more of the length and don't always break apart cleanly. They have never poked me, but they have shed bits into my food before that I had to pick out. I will stop cleaning up the ones that don't actually need it. I didn't realize it was offensive.
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