Name: How To Eat Sushi In Japan (Sushi Eating Etiquette) - Easy Homemade Sushi
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How To Eat Sushi In Japan (Sushi Eating Etiquette) - Easy Homemade Sushi

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We are reader supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Also, as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.My stay in Japan was an enrichingexperience because I got the opportunity to learn about their cuisine(especially sushi) and dining traditions. The Japanese are meticulous abouttheir food and they follow certain rules and etiquettes for eating sushi in atraditional restaurant.While there is no hard and fast rule abouthow to eat sushi in Japan, this is more about general politeness and social behavior to make your dining experiencemore enjoyable. When you are courteous, the sushi chef or itamae will be moreinterested in making your experience enjoyable.If you live outside Japan, yet have astrong affinity for sushi, learning about the tradition and sushi eating etiquettescan be fun. Most sushi restaurants or Sushi-ya are small and intimateestablishments. You can show them a mark of respect by following theirtraditions.However, please remember that traditionsand tips mentioned in this guide are not strict rules. You don’t need to feelintimidated to go out and eat sushi in a restaurant in Japan. I know manyJapanese friends who are liberal with the rules, but following sushi etiquettescan earn you a good reputation.Take the tips mentioned below as suggestions,not instructions, or directives on how to eat sushi in Japan. So, let’s getstarted with first things first.Before getting into how to eat sushi inJapan, it is essential to know how tomake a reservation. Most sushi bars will accommodate you when you walk in, butif you have any special dietary requests or you plan to eat during peak hours,you must make a reservation in advance.As most sushi places are small with limitedseating arrangement, they may charge a 100% cancellation fees if you do notshow up or cancel last minute. This maysound a little unreasonable but consider the fact that they use fresh fish,which loses its freshness if you don’t turn up to consume it.Many restaurants in Japan don’t acceptcredit cards, as cash is still the king here. You may want to call them and askif they accept credit cards before makinga reservation.When you arrive at a sushi restaurant or sushi-ya, you will find a short curtain made of four partitions. Place your hand on the lower left corner of the third partition and open. If you arrive 30 minutes before the closing time, you must ask ‘Are you still open”. When they say ‘irasshaimase’ (Welcome to the store), acknowledge it with a smile.Sometimes the server may say ‘irasshaimase’loudly to express his enthusiasm at seeing you at his place. Don’t be startledby a loud welcome and reply with a warm gesture. Say that you are lookingforward to the meal.As you enter, tell the staff how manypeople are in your group. If you are alone, tell him it’s just you with alittle guilt in your eyes. Next, you will head to the sushi counter, and this is where you need to show your bestbehavior when interacting with the sushi chef and other customers.Japan is a land of courtesy and tradition,so be respectful towards the people with whom you will share your diningexperience. If there are some people already sitting at the counter, ask thempolitely is the seat beside them is empty. If you are with someone, request himor her to take a seat before you.At the counter, you can see the sushi chefpreparing different styles of sushi and serving the guests. Greet the chef witha smile as you are entrusting him to make your dining experience pleasurable.While smiling is not an essential part of sushi etiquette, a warm smile helpsestablish a bond with the chef, and hewill be more interested in recommending different types of sushi to you.Remember that eating sushi is not just adelight for the taste buds but also your eyes. If you would like to see how thechef prepares a perfect piece of sushi or involve in a conversation with thesushi chef or itamae, ask for a seat at the bar.If conversing while eating is not yourstyle or you don’t bother to see how sushi ismade, a table may be fine. The bararea may be left for customers who enjoyinteracting with the chef.Related Article: What Do Sushi Chefs Say When You Enter?In a small sushi bar, you may not have anyservers or waiters. The sushi chef will take your orders directly or recommendhis own choices. In some sushi restaurants, they may have a bar section alongwith a separate seating arrangement where the waiter/waitress may take theorders.If you are sitting at the bar, rememberthat you can only ask for sushi and beer. The servers handle other non-sushiitems such as soups and drinks. The main menu in any sushi bar remains thesame, and you can order directly from theitamae.You may ask the chef what he wouldrecommend you to try first. However, make sure you never ask him ‘Is the fishfresh’ as this is considered as aninsult. If you are eating in a sushi bar in Japan, you will be served freshfish even in the smallest eateries, as sushi is something people eat regularly.If you are going to a sushi restaurantoutside of Japan, do your research in advance to ensure that the place servesfresh fish. In most sushi bars and restaurants, the chef will be glad to showyou how he prepares sushi. Remember to compliment him for his skills and maybebuy him a beer to show your appreciation.Sometimes the biggest sushi etiquette is to know how to behave well in arestaurant and show respect to the itamae. Hemay be busy if you visit the restaurant during peak times. However, feel freeto converse with him if he can. If you manage to build a good rapport with thechef, he will know your preferences and dish out perfectly made sushi thatcomplement your taste.When ordering sushi, always consider yourappetite. I would recommend that you order a few at a time because leaving foodon your plate is impolite in Japanese culture. The sushi pieces may look small,but they have rice that can fill you upfaster. Even if you don’t like the taste of a particular variety of sushi,don’t express your displeasure.&nbsp;Compliment the chef for his hard work!Related Article: 15 Most Popular Cooked Sushi To Order in RestaurantIf you are new to Japanese culture, youwill be surprised to discover that there is a specific rule on how to eatsushi. When you are at a restaurant, you must start with whitefish or otherlighter varieties of fish, followed by the fatter versions such as grilled eeland toro (fatty tuna). Remember to cleanse your palate with the pickled gingerafter every bite.The serving plates come with two pieces ata conveyor-belt sushi bar and just one piece at the high-end establishments.You may pick items from the menu or decide to go with the chef’s choice whenyou are dining at a well-known restaurant. The chef will craft out a menu for you immediately. Just tell him if youare not a fan of certain flavors.When the chef puts sushi pieces on the table, the right way is to eat them immediately at their peak flavor. The sushi rice is at room temperature and the chef’s hands warm the fatty fish, hence it feels tender to touch and eat.AfterThe MealWhen you have finished your meal,appreciate the chef for his efforts and offer formal thanks. If you want to tryJapanese, say ‘Gochisosama’ for casual places or ‘Gochisosama-deshita’ for themore formal settings. It means ‘thank you for the meal.’If you used disposable chopsticks foreating, put them back inside the bag neatly and fold the end. Alternatively,you may leave the sticks on your plate sideways, but they should not point to any person. If you keep the sticksnext to your plate or bowl, this means you arenot done yet.When you are eating with someone, yourhost, or the person with a higher rank will offer to pay the bill as perJapanese tradition. If you pay, remember to keep the money on a small trayinstead of handing it directly to the server. When there is no tray, use bothyour hands to give/ receive money as a mark of respect.Just as it is important to mind yourmanners when you are eating sushi, you should also be courteous when you are done. After you have completed your meal,it is unmannerly to linger there talking to your group in a busy restaurant.As a general rule, it should take you aboutone and a half hour maximum for a meal, and two hours at the most if you drinkbeer/ sake after the meal. In case of omakase dining, you will know that yourmeal is over when the chef offers you a piece of fruit, tea, or somethingsimilar.Tipping in Japan is not a common practice, and it may be considered rude. Tips are often included in the bill, so you don’tneed to worry about paying anything separately. If you want to thank the cheffor his service, buy him a drink instead.Sushi chefs spend years to improve their skill and attain the kind of finesse that you see in your food plate. When you are out to eat sushi in Japan, make sure you follow the dining etiquette. Here are some dos and don’ts to guide you:• In most Japanese sushi bars, you will be offered a hot and wet towel that is usually placed beside your plate. The towel is known as an ‘oshibori,’ and it is used to clean your hands after eating eachpiece. Fold it neatly and put it back as it was before returning.• If you find it difficult to eat sushiwith chopsticks, use your hands instead. There is no need to feel ashamed, asmany people prefer eating sushi with their hands. Holding sashimi withchopsticks is easier than picking a sushi piece.• Always eat nigiri sushi in one single bite, instead of taking two bites. Biting the sushi pieces is considered rude because the chef spends a lot of time trying to get the perfect form. If the sushi pieces are too big for you, request the itamae to serve smaller pieces to you.• The right way to eat nigiri-zushi is to pick one piece and dip one side into the shoyu or soya sauce. Make sure you dip the fish part and only slightly touch the sushi rice. Too much soya sauce will overpower the taste of raw fish and may cause the sushi rice to fall into the sauce tray.• The chef will serve sushi with pickledginger that works like a palate cleanser. You must take a bite of the gingerafter eating sushi to cleanse your palate and prepare to enjoy other varietiesof sushi containing different types of raw fish.• I would recommend that you offer a sake or beer to the sushi chef as a mark of respect and appreciation for his hard work. He will appreciate your friendly gesture and chances are; he will remember you when you visit again.• Many sushi bars or restaurants may serve sake only with sashimi and not with sushi. As they are both rice-based, many servers feel that they don’t complement each other. You may drink green tea instead which works as a great beverage that helps with digestion after you are full.• When pouring out beverages, it is considered as a mark of respect to pour outfor fellow guests first and then fill your glass. The Japanese traditionfollows the hierarchy in this aspect. The person who is lower in rank will beresponsible to order and serve the drinks. If you have invited someone to dinewith you at a sushi bar, you automatically become the host, and it’s the host’s responsibility to ensurethat glasses are full.• Sake is the Japanese wine made byfermenting rice. It is served both chilled and hot. If you are visiting a sushirestaurant for the first time, you will need to experiment and see what youlike best. The higher quality sake is usuallyserved chilled.• Ask the sushi chef politely for any special or seasonal items that may not be listed on the menu. It is acceptable to askquestions to the itamae, and he will likethe interest you show in trying out more variations.• Always seek permission before clickingpictures of your culinary experience. While doing so, please ensure that you donot disturb others and do not let photography come in the way of a wholesomedining experience.• Do not rub the chopsticks when eatingsushi in Japan because it is considered rude. Chopsticks are made of wood, and if they break, it implies you are telling the owner that hismaterials are cheap. When not using chopsticks, keep them parallel on the holderor sauce dish.• Don’t try to mix wasabi with soya sauce in the dish. The chef already adds the right amount of wasabi between sushi rice and fish or neta in Nigiri-zushi. Trust the chef, as he knows how to strike a perfect balance of flavors without overpowering any of them.&nbsp; If at all, you need some extra wasabi on your sushi, tell the chef to add some more as he prepares the next pieces in front of you.• Don’t use the end of the chopstick youput into your mouth to pick pieces of food from other person’s plate as this isconsidered impolite. If you need to transfer food from your plate, use the endthat you hold in your hands.• Don’t ask for a spoon for your miso soup if you are not offered one at the bar . This means the chef expects you to pick the bowl and drink from it directly. You may use the chopsticks to put the solid pieces into your mouth.• Don’t pass food to the person next to youusing your chopsticks as this is similar to the Japanese tradition of passing the bones of a deceased relative at thefuneral. If you need to pass the food,ask the person to pick the food from your plate.• Don’t stick the chopsticks in the sushirice or leave them sticking up as this appears similar to burning incensesticks during a funeral of a close one in Japan. You will hurt the sentimentsof others, so be careful about it.• Don’t belch or burp at the Japanese tableas it is considered rude. If you need to burp, don’t be so loud that others onthe table can hear.• Don’t wear perfume, cologne, or any other type of scent because sushi experience has much to do with the smell. You should not overwhelm the primary freshness of sushi-grade fish with different flavorings and aromas.• Don’t mention the names of other eating establishments when you sitting in a sushi-ya. Also, avoid showing pictures of sushi on your mobile phone and asking for something similar, as they may be subject to availability. Trust the chef’s choice or pick from what is on the menu.Knowing a few Japanese words can enhance your sushi eating experience in Japan. Your chef will be impressed by your interest in their culture and your genuine efforts of using Japanese words. Familiarizing yourself with these terminologies will also help you order better. Here are some keywords:• Neta: This refers to the various sushi toppings such as shrimp, maguro, and so on.• Shari: This is the Japanese term for vinegared sushi rice.• Gari: This is pickled ginger served along with sushi. As it has antimicrobial properties, eating it with raw fish helps in eliminating the fishy smell and cleansing the palate. For more: Why Is Ginger Served With Sushi?• Murasaki: It refers to shoyu or soya sauce, which is a taste enhancer.• Hikarimono: It refers to thin slices of fish (horse mackerel, pilchard, and pacific saury) attached with the shiny silver skin.• Namida: It refers to spicy wasabi added by the chef to enhance the taste of sushi.If you are visiting Japan for the first time, eating sushi at a traditional restaurant can give you an insight into their dining culture. While the Japanese hosts, chefs, and servers are always warm and welcoming to guests from across the country, you can impress them by following the sushi etiquette.When you are in a sushi bar or any otherestablishment in Japan, go by the concept of ‘reading the air,’ which means being aware of yoursurroundings. Act in a way that is harmonious to what is going around you. Wearyour smile, be polite when asking questions, and appreciate the efforts putinto preparing sushi. I wish you a great sushi experience!Pingback: 15 Most Popular Cooked Sushi To Order in Restaurant - Easy Homemade SushiPingback: 15 Best All You Can Eat Sushi Restaurants In Boston - Easy Homemade SushiPingback: Why Do People Eat Sushi? - Easy Homemade SushiPingback: What's In A Philadelphia Roll And How To Make It - Easy Homemade SushiHi, I am James. I have been a sushi enthusiast since my Japanese friend introduced me to this wonderful delicacy. I have endlessly researched on sushi and wish to share the wealth of information with you.Easyhomemadesushi.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. &nbsp;This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.Easyhomemadesushi.com also participates in affiliate programs with Homedepot, Catalinaop ,Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. Easyhomemadesushi.com&nbsp;is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

We are reader supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Also, as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.My stay in Japan was an enrichingexperience because I got the opportunity to learn about their cuisine(especially sushi) and dining traditions. The Japanese are meticulous abouttheir food and they follow certain rules and etiquettes for eating sushi in atraditional restaurant.While there is no hard and fast rule abouthow to eat sushi in Japan, this is more about general politeness and social behavior to make your dining...

How To Eat Sushi In Japan (Sushi Eating Etiquette) - Easy Homemade Sushi

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