Page 88 - Easy Japanese - Learn to Speak Japanese Quickly! (TUTTLE)

at traditional restaurants.
It is good manners to pick up your bowl of rice or miso soup when eating and
hold it in your hand to scoop the rice or soup towards your mouth. It’s bad
manners to leave grains of rice in your bowl. When eating from shared dishes,
use the opposite end of your chopsticks or the dedicated serving chopsticks.
The bill will be placed face down either as you receive the meal or after you
have finished eating. It is not common to pay at the table. You are supposed to

bring your bill to the cashier when leaving. Paying in cash is most common,
although many restaurants also accept credit cards. It is not customary to tip in
Japan, but service charges are sometimes added to your bill. Do not forget to say
Gochisō-sama deshita as you leave.

CULTURAL NOTE Drinking
Different cultures have different attitudes towards alcohol. In Japan there is no

equivalent of Open-Container Laws prohibiting carrying and drinking alcohol in
certain areas. In general alcohol is more readily accessible and public drinking is
largely accepted in Japan. It’s rare for restaurants and stores to check the ID of
younger customers. Alcoholic beverages can also be bought at vending machines
across the country.

After-work social gatherings that involve drinking have an important role in
Japanese society. Co-workers often go out together, although this is more
common among men. Entertaining business associates often involves drinking.
These social interactions should be used to develop personal bonds rather than to
conduct business. On these occasions, make sure you do not start drinking until
everybody at the table has a drink and the glasses are raised for kampai. It is
customary to pour for each other rather than to pour your own drink, and to keep

refilling before glasses become empty. It’s polite to lift your glass while being
served rather than leaving it on the table to be filled. Oolong tea is a common
substitute for those who do not drink alcohol at these occasions.
It is not uncommon to see people obviously drunk at izakaya or in public, but
this is accepted as long as no one is being bothered. Japanese people draw a clear
boundary between what is official and what happens while drinking, and tend to

excuse misbehavior while under the influence. However, laws against drinking
and driving must be strictly observed.

PATTERN PRACTICE 1