Page 315 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

WHERE T O EA T AND DRINK  313

except in staunchly Western How to Hold
restaurants and for certain
dishes still regarded as foreign Chopsticks (Hashi)
such as kare raisu (see p314). A common mistake by
Spearing food with your foreigners is to hold
chopsticks is considered bad chopsticks too
form, as is pushing food straight close to the
from the bowl into the mouth ends instead of a Thumb and first
(entirely acceptable in China). third of the way down, thus finger doing most Third finger
Passing food from your losing leverage. They also often of the leverage acting as a rest for
chopsticks to those of another hold them too tightly, leading to with the top stick the lower stick
and sticking them upright in a hand cramps and dropped food.
bowl of rice are both associated The lower stick should rest in the crook of the thumb and on the
with funerary customs and are third finger, while the thumb, first, and second fingers control the
movement of the top stick. Note that the hashi and technique are
therefore strictly taboo at the slightly different from those used in China.
dinner table. Gesturing and
pointing with your chopsticks
are also definite no-nos, as is
using them as levers to pull or However, do not eat directly elsewhere, it will be an
push things around the table. from any communal serving unappetizing sight in Japan.
If some morsel proves difficult platters and bowls. Instead, put The exception to this rule is
to cut on the plate, you can take one or two bite-sized portions one-pot rice dishes, in which
a chopstick in each hand and first onto the kozara, which is a vegetables and meat are
make a sawing motion to cut small saucer-like plate provided placed on the rice in a deep
it. This may not be the for each diner. Use the bowl, almost hiding the rice.
most elegant separate chop-
of moves but sticks and
is unavoidable spoons, if Seasonal Eating
Patterns
in some provided, for
situations. communal The seasons have a major
When they are dishes. influence on Japanese
not in use, lay the Note that it is fine eat ing habits. The temperature of
chopsticks on your Ceramic teapot to bite off part of a food is seen as an important way
chopstick rest (hashi- piece of food and return of regulating body tem perature.
oki), or if a rest is not provided the uneaten part to your kozara Hence, tea and sake may be
then across the low est dish. until ready for the next bite. drunk hot in winter and cold in
Lay them neatly and uncrossed, summer. Similarly, nabemono
and parallel with your side of Eating Rice (hot pot) dishes are consumed
the table. during cold months, while cold
Japanese rice has a slightly noodles are welcomed in warm
glutinous, heavy texture. ones. Tempura is normally a cold
Using Tableware
Japanese people treat it with weather dish, and the desire of
Japanese tableware is won- respect, and do not feel they tourists to eat it on a hot summer
derfully eclectic and can run have truly eaten until they have day may surprise some Japanese.
to over a dozen vessels per consumed rice in some form. Some restau rants famous for
person, of wildly differing In a meal with several dishes, seasonal fish such as fugu (see
shapes and materials such rice is always served in a p321) may serve an entirely
as porcelain, lacquer, wood, separate bowl. If alcohol is drunk, different menu at other times.
and even leaves. When then the bowl of rice is
several dishes are served at saved till the end of the Slurping
once, feel free to take morsels meal, when it is eaten
from them in whatever order with miso and pickles The Japanese slurp
you please, including from (see p318). Since sake with gusto when
lidded pots containing soups. is a rice derivative, eating noodles or
Many small bowls and the two are often soupy rice dishes.
plates are designed to be considered too similar Indeed, an audible
picked up and brought to to consume together. intake of air is
about chest level, easing the No matter how Kamameshi, a necessary to eat
path of each morsel to the tempted, do not take one-pot rice dish piping hot noodles
mouth. Do this rather than rice from the bowl without scorching
bending your head down to and put it on your plate to soak the mouth. Many foreigners are
get to the food. It is perfectly up any juices or sauces or pour loathe to make this noise, with
good manners to sip directly juices (even soy sauce) onto the result that it takes them
from small bowls of soup. it. As acceptable as this is three times as long to eat soba.

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