Eating

Depending on the type of food served, hashi or chopsticks are the most widely used implement. It is not impolite to ask for a spoon and fork if you are having trouble using chopsticks. Prior to a meal, most restaurants provide customers with a hot towel roll for the hands. Customarily, the phrase “Itadaki-masu”, roughly translated as “Bon Appetit”, is uttered before eating. Hashi should not be used for anything other than putting food in the mouth. They should not be used to point to someone else or move dishes. Food should not be exchanged from chopstick to chopstick. And under any circumstance you should not stick your chopsticks in a bowl of rice. Slurping loudly when eating soba or ramen is considered polite and even regarded as a compliment to the cook. The polite phrase “Gochiso-sama deshita” is uttered after a meal.