Table Manners and Etiquette

Japanese people love their food.They treat mealtimes like a ceremony of sorts and appreciate all the efforts that were put together into making the meal a success.Before we look at their scrumptious meals,it is of importance that we get to know their table etiquette.
Meals in Japan traditionally begin with the phrase itadakimasu (いただきます) (literally, "I humbly receive"). Its  similar to the french phrase of "bon appétit", or saying grace to give thanks before a meal. It is said to express gratitude for all who played a role in preparing, cultivating,  or collecting the food. 
Upon finishing a meal, the Japanese also use the polite phrase Gochisosama-deshita (ごちそうさまでした,)Gochisōsama. Gochisōsama is based on the religious belief where chisō (馳走;ちそう) means running with efforts (by riding a horse, thereby indicating expedience) to cater foods for the guest. It is then linguistically altered to express gratitude to the effort by adding go and sama as the form of honoring the cook. To join one's hands in the gesture,(as though one is saying a prayer)while saying these words is good manners. (lit. Thank you for a good meal) 
It is considered polite to clear one's plate, down to the very last grain of rice; children are especially encouraged to do so! It is also a complimentary gesture to the cook. It is impolite to pick out certain ingredients and leave the rest. One should chew with the mouth closed.

Chop Sticks
These are two wooden sticks used for eating in Japan.

They serve the same purpose as a spoon,fork or hand in various parts of the world.In the native tongue,they are called hashi( はし)  .There are many traditions and unwritten rules surrounding the use of chopsticks,for example:

• It is considered particularly taboo to pass food from chopsticks to chopsticks, as this is how bones are handled by the family of the deceased after a cremation. If you must pass food from your plate to someone during a meal (a questionable practice in public), pick up the food with your own chopsticks and place it on a small plate to allow the recipient to pick it up with his/her chopsticks.
• Mismatched chopsticks are not to be used.
• Standing chopsticks vertically in a bowl of rice is to be avoided, as it recalls burning incense sticks standing up in sand, typically at funerals.
• Placing chopsticks so that they point at someone else is considered a symbolic threat.

So,be careful whenever you handle the chop sticks!! 

types of chopsticks 
There are several styles of chopsticks.They are classified according to the following

• Length: Very long chopsticks, usually about 30 or 40 centimeters, tend to be used for cooking, especially for deep frying foods. In Japan they are called ryoribashi (りょりばし). Shorter chopsticks are generally used as eating utensils but are also used for cooking sometimes.

 

• Tapering: The end of the chopsticks for picking up food are tapered to a blunt or a pointed end. Blunt end chopsticks provide more surface area for holding food and for pushing rice into the mouth. Pointed chopsticks allow for easier manipulation of food and for picking out bones from cooked fish. Pointed ends are also helpful in spearing the food, if the proper technique cannot be mastered. Spearing is seen, however, as improper etiquette. Note, however, that some older styles of chopsticks are untapered, in which case the ends to be held are often marked in some way, e.g. metal bands, or writing or branding.

• Material: Chopsticks are made from a variety of materials: bamboo, plastic, wood, bone, metal, jade, and ivory.
  • Bamboo and wood chopsticks are cheap, low in temperature conduction and provide good grip for holding food due to their matte surfaces. They however can warp after absorbing fluids over time and deteriorate with continued use. Almost all cooking and disposable chopsticks are made of bamboo or wood. Disposable unlacquered chopsticks are used especially in restaurants. These often come as a piece of wood that is partially cut and must be split into two chopsticks by the user (demonstrating that they have not been previously used). In Japanese, these are known as waribashi (わりばし) . Disposable chopstick wrappers, particularly in takeout food, may also include a toothpick; in Japan such wrappers have a warning on the outside to avoid being stabbed when unwrapping the chopsticks.
   
  
  
  
  
  • Plastic chopsticks are cheap, low in temperature conduction and are resistant to wear. Due to their composition, plastic chopsticks are not as effective as wood and bamboo chopsticks are for picking up food because they tend to be slippery. Also, plastic chopsticks cannot be used for cooking since high temperatures may melt the chopsticks and produce toxic compounds that may make the food inedible.childrens chopsticks are usually made of this material since it makes it easier for they to be made colourful and attractive for them
       

•  Metal chopsticks are durable and easy to clean but more slippery when compared to plastic or wood. They also tend to be more expensive. Metal chopsticks, especially of the stainless steel variety, are most commonly associated with Korean chopsticks.

 

• • Materials such as ivory, jade, gold, and silver are typically chosen for luxury. Silver-tipped chopsticks were often used by wealthy people in East Asian cultures, as it was believed that the silver would turn black upon contact with poison.
  
  
  
• Embellishments: Wooden or bamboo chopsticks can be painted or lacquered to decorate them and make them waterproof. Metal chopsticks are sometimes roughened or scribed on the tapered end to make them less slippery when picking up foods. Higher priced metal chopstick pairs are sometimes connected by a short chain at the untapered end to prevent their separation.