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Overview:

Dining etiquette is very ceremonial and festive. The taboos come from both their ceremonial rituals and festivals. Many parts of Japanese culture draw its origins from the influence of the native rituals of Buddhism and Shinto. Although not everyone is highly religious in Japan, the influences of these rituals still remain within how Japanese people dine. The book will explore the concept of dining in Japan by delving into the connections to its traditional rituals through Buddhism and Shinto, and examining its relevance in the modern world.

Buddhism was a religion inherited from China. This brought many other aspects of Asian culture into Japan. Throughout Japan’s history both Shinto and Buddhism were closely related religious practices, and many practices within the two have been merged together. Many Japanese abide by both Buddhism and Shintoism nowadays. Today, many Japanese people just use the values of each practice according to the occasion so that there isn’t a conflict between the two. For example Shinto is often used in weddings and funerals are usually Buddhist.

Most Japanese homes maintain Buddhist altars for Buddhist ceremonies and many also have Shinto shrines. When a death occurs the Shinto shrine is closed and covered with white paper to keep out the impure spirits of the dead. A small table decorated with flowers, incense and a candle are placed next to the deceased.

Buddhism is centered on the individual’s path to enlightenment rather than on a deity, it was able to blend and coexist with other traditions. As the Japanese people adopted Buddhism, different branches developed which concentrated on specific aspects of the religion. One of these groups was Zen Buddhism.

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Buddhism in relation to dining etiquette

The relatives of the deceased pick the bones out of the ashes and transfer them to the urn using large chopsticks. Two relatives hold the same bone at the same time with their chopsticks or pass the bones from chopsticks to chopsticks. This is known as askotsuage. This is the only time it is acceptable in Japan for two people to pass and hold an object together using chopsticks. Using this gesture outside a funeral is seen as a taboo because it reminds bystanders of a funeral of a close relative. The bones of the feet are picked up first and the bones of the head are picked up last, to ensure that the deceased is not upside down in the urn.

In funerals the people are given mismatched chopsticks to be use to transfer the bones of the deceased to the urn. It is a taboo in dining etiquette to eat with mismatched chopsticks because it reminds the bystanders of a loved one who has passed away. Other taboos that relate to funerals are passing food from directly from one person’s chopsticks to another’s as it resembles the bones passed between the guests in funerals. Another one is sticking chopsticks vertically in a bowl of rice which resembles the incense offerings at the Buddhist funerals or the way that a departed family member’s personal pair of chopsticks is stuck in a bowl of uncooked rice placed at the family altar as an offering.

Proper chopstick etiquette is important in Japanese culture as the misuse of chopsticks is seen as quite offensive due to its significance in Japan’s religion and culture. In misusing chopsticks as stated above, it is an act of bridging the world of the living and the dead.

Chopsticks also shouldn't be crossed on a table, as this symbolizes death, or vertically stuck in the rice, which is another funeral practice.

Food should not be directly transferred from your chopsticks to someone else's. Transferring directly with chopsticks is how bones are passed as part of Japanese funeral rites, so it's not viewed as good practice at the dinner table.

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Shinto in relation to dining etiquette

Shinto is the religion that is native to Japan. It involves the worshiping of kami (gods) or spirits. Some of the kami may be local and are the spirit of the particular place but there are also others that are more popular and important such as Amaterasu, the sun goddess.

The word Shinto also has meaning. “Shin” means gods or spirits and “to” means a way or path. The translation of the word Shinto is “the way of the gods”.

The main theme in Shinto is love and a deep respect for the natural environment and its processes. For example a waterfall might be considered a spirit of that place or even other abstract things such as growth. Some sacred artifacts may have special ropes or paper strips attached.

The beliefs of Shinto and the ways of thinking have influenced Japan’s society historically and to this modern day. Many types of etiquette have the origins either directly or indirectly rooted from Shinto. For example the Japanese custom of eating with wooden chopsticks.

Wooden chopsticks that can be thrown away after one use is a way of honoring Shinto. Shinto belief suggests that hashi (chopsticks), are a sacred bridge between humans and the gods. Thus, in Shinto ceremonies of birth, marriage and death they play a special symbolic role. Moreover, the Shinto faith is heavily laden with the themes of purity and renewal, which are evident in every crack of virgin waribashi.

In China, chopsticks are often treated just as cutlery like the west and large amounts of chopsticks are kept for general use in each house. However, in Japan, each member in the house usually has their own pair of chopsticks and rice bowl which is used by them only. Chopsticks revolve around the notions of privacy, pollution and purity as an aspect of Shinto. Where the chopsticks are acting as bridges between worlds. In saying this it makes sense that sharing chopsticks would in Japanese content be exposing yourself to pollution. By having your own chopsticks you can monitor your own purity.

Many aspects of Shinto are common in modern Japan. Many Japanese see the participation in ceremonies, worship of idols in shrines and temples as essential etiquette in society rather than religion. The practices of Shinto are widely seen as a tradition to honor their family and country.

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Zen Buddhism in relation to dining

Zen Buddhism helped shape an aesthetic found throughout in Japanese culture. It is undeniable that Zen and Japanese culture have influenced each other in ways. Food is a good window into culture. Pickles are a ubiquitous part of Japanese meals because they add a salty taste to balance out the plain unseasoned rice. In Zen Buddhist practices they used pickles to completely clean the bowl while eating. The pickles were saved till the end to serve this purpose. Tea is poured into their bowls and they used the pickles to get the leftover rice that was stuck to the sides of the bowl. Then they drank the tea with the food that was leftover, mixed together. This custom was also used by poor Japanese people who didn’t have a lot of food to eat so therefore they didn’t want to waste what they had. Not wasting a single grain of rice became a practice in Zen monasteries and for the poor people of japan who were hungry. The point of the custom is to eat with others in a ritualized way, express gratitude and not to waste any food.

The habit of finishing everything you have been given as a way of showing appreciation to those who have died for you, is Japanese etiquette owing its origin to Buddhist thinking as well.

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Chopsticks:

Chopsticks are an important part of the material culture of Japan’s religion. In japan, chopsticks are connected with the folklore of Shinto and the worshiping of gods as wells as funeral riturals.

Modern chopsticks are believed to be developed from tweezer-like utensils made of iron (kanabasami). These utensils were part of the items offered to the gods (kami) along with items such as sake in rituals. They believed that if the chopsticks were offered to the gods then its spirit would inhabit them which would allow humans to dine with them.

Chopsticks were among the items, like sake, offered to kami or gods in ceremonial rituals. The belief was that when chopsticks were offered to a kami, its spirit inhabited the chopsticks, allowing it to dine with the humans. The offered chopsticks were thought to be ryokuchi-bashi which are two sticks of white wood heavy in the center and tapered at both ends. The wood that is usually used to construct ryokuchi-bashi is willow. An ancient belief states that willow is thought to have resistance to evil spirits and impurities. Willow is also considered lucky because its leaves develop earlier than in spring than the other trees.

Hovering

Moving the chopsticks over the dishes while deciding what you eat
Imagine someone is moving his/her chopsticks over the dishes. You might think that the person is not interested into any of the dishes, or others might think the person is judging the food. In any case, it gives a feeling of vulgarity.

Searching

Searching the specific bits of food in the dishes
One of the best parts of enjoying WASHOKU is to see how beautifully the dish is arranged on a plate. Therefore, it is discourteous to the chef when you break down the perfect arrangement of the dish and search for the food you like.

Shoveling

Directly shove the food from the bowl or plate and pushing it into your mouth
The traditional manner of WASHOKU is not to make a noise while eating. One good example is the noise that people make when they suck on the noodle or chew food when their mouths open. When you directly shove the food from your bowl or plate into your mouth, those unpleasant noises would be made. If you were at home, it would be forgivable. If you are in public, however, you should be careful.

Dripping

Dripping the soup or the liquid dishes from the tip of chopsticks
You need to be careful when you try to eat liquid dishes, especially when you use Shoyu (soy sauce). It is very easy to drip sauce on the table or your clothes, but difficult to get rid of the stain. Moreover, the way liquid is dripped from chopsticks reminds people of someone who is crying. Thus, dripping not only impolite but also ominous.

Namida-bashi (Crying chopsticks)
If the food has a sauce or broth, avoid letting any sauce drip from your chopsticks or from the food when you pick it up. Some may see it as an ominous gesture because the way liquid is dripped from chopsticks reminds people of someone who's crying. 

Pulling

Chopsticks should never be used to move bowls or plates. Pulling a dish towards you with the chopsticks. Some of the dishes are far from your seat and you can’t reach them, therefore you pull the dish toward you with your chopsticks. This commonly happens on the dinner table at home, but could be very dangerous. The bowl or plate can easily be turned over if you pull it with chopsticks. Moreover, the friction by lugging the dish might leave scratches on the tableware or table.

Pointing with chopsticks

 Special care should be taken to ensure that one’s chopstick’s are not pointing directly at another person. Pointing chopsticks at a person is interpreted as wishing ill for that person.

Chopsticks not in active use during a meal should be placed onto the chopstick-rest. If no chopstick- rest has been provided, chopsticks should be placed together vertically towards the right side of the plate or bowl, the points facing away from their respective diner (and, to the extent possible, not directly towards any other diner). Otherwise, they may be placed together, diagonally across the bowl or plate. (The horizontal placement across the plate or bowl signals that the diner has concluded his meal).

Placing your chopsticks across your bowl during a meal tells the chef (and everyone around you) that you no longer want your dish. If you haven’t finished eating, then this can be rude. It’s also good manners to keep your chopsticks straight instead of having them cross while they’re resting. If you’re not given any chopstick rests, you can place your chopsticks on the wrapper they came in (and place them inside once you’re finished your meal) if they’re disposable. If your chopsticks aren’t disposable, then place the utensils along the left edge of your dish. Do make sure that they are placed together and don’t cross.

Taking from Shared Dishes (逆さ箸)

Don’t let the title fool you — you’re welcome to take from shared dishes, but use the supplied utensils to do so. Some people turn their chopsticks around so the thick side (the side that hasn’t been touching your lips) is used to take from a shared plate. I find that when dining with friends and family, this rule is much more relaxed or nonexistent. Although this practice is well-known, it is not considered to be proper manners. This is because the other end is held by hands, which are not clean. Rather, it is expected to use extra chopsticks（取り箸） to transfer food from a communal plate. When in doubt, watch to see what others do.

Shinto’s purification rituals have had a huge influence on hygiene in japan. There is a focus on making sure food isn’t contaminated due to the belief that the food should be respected when you eat.

Washing chopsticks in soup

Don’t use a bowl of soup (or any other liquid at the dining table) to wash off your chopsticks. It’s also bad manners to rub wooden disposable chopsticks together. This is done to remove splinters from cheap chopsticks, so doing this is indicating that you think your chopsticks are cheap. Even if you’re given disposable chopsticks, try not to do this unless they are splintery.

These actions are known as discourteous behaviors in Japan, and it is particularly important to follow the manners on the table when you have a meal with someone else. It might seem complicated and troublesome to learn and follow each manners, but it is fun to know why “you can’t do” and “you should do” when you eat WASHOKU because there are numerous interesting historical and traditional reasons

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Manners

Itadakimasu, gochisosama deshita

Saying Itadakimasu has two meanings.

One is to appreciate all the people who involved in the meal. The person who served you the meal, who grew the vegetables, who fished and of course who cooked for you. 

The other meaning is to appreciate the ingredients. Japanese people always believe that even vegetables and fruits have a life as well as the meat and the fish. By saying itadakimasu, show the appreciation of, “I receive your life and it becomes my life”. This seems to be the real meaning.

The common etiquette expressed by “Bon appétit” or “Guten Appetit” appear merely as wishes for a pleasant meal, simply lacking the gratitude underlying “Itadakimasu.” The latter, which places its focus upon the food’s source instead of the coming feast, reveal manners that showcase of the traditional Japanese Buddhist foundation (though the religion has been considered less influential during modern times).

The etiquette of “Gochisousama-deshita!”

A phrase used after finishing your meal, which can be literally translated with “It was a great deal of work (preparing the meal).” Thus, it might be fair to interpret the Japanese as “Thank you for the meal, it was a feast.” Again, as manners of thanks for the food along with everyone related, omitting saying the phrase will make you look impolite or even ungrateful.

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Drinking Tea

Green tea originates from the tea ceremonies. Around the end of the 12th century, the style of tea preparation called "tencha" (点茶), in which powdered matcha was placed into a bowl, hot water added, and the tea and hot water whipped together, was introduced to Japan by Eisai, another monk, on his return from China. He also took tea seeds back with him, which eventually produced tea that was considered to be the most superb quality in all of Japan. This powdered green tea was first used in religious rituals in Buddhist monasteries.

When tea was brought to Japan by Zen monks, they used it to stay awake during long meditations. Zen teachings emphasize that everyone can achieve enlightenment, but mundane thoughts stifle it. They believe that enlightenment can be found in the midst of everyday activities. Drinking tea therefore was like a kind of “meditation in action.”

You eat a type of traditional sweet called Wagashi before you drink the tea. The sweet prepares your mouth for the slightly bitter Matcha (powdered high grade green tea ). In Buddhism, where tea ceremony has its roots, they say that ‘in life  – without the bitter you cannot appreciate the sweet and vice versa’.  Well not in those exact words but you get my drift…. The ceremony provides this wonderfully subtle reminder for the everyday.

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Slurping

There are some unconventional techniques used in Zen which may shock some people. For example, they have the loud belly shout called katsu.  Zen Buddhism had a huge influence on the ceremonial rituals of tea ceremonies.

Historically in tea ceremonies it was ritual to take the tea with both hands and slurp with the guests having to drink the tea in 3 swallows.

Slurping is said to make them taste better. By bringing lots of air in with the noodles you can eat them hotter and so improve the flavour. Slurping noodles actually isn’t entirely for the sake of politeness, but for safety too, or at least to avoid getting a burnt tongue. Japanese soup and noodles are served steaming hot. Hot enough to burn your tongue and mouth. By slurping the food quickly in, you are helping your mouth escape burns and the peeling skin that follows by cooling the food just enough and rapidly sucking it in, past the sensitive parts of the mouth.

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Pouring drinks for others

In the past, Japan's drink of choice was sake. Sake is consumed in tiny cups called ochoko. It has always been considered rude to pour your own cup. It's seen as greedy, self-centered and generally anti-social. This has led to a few rules about who should pour whose cup.

It's generally considered feminine charm to pour drinks for people. Women are most likely to pour drinks. This is quite engrained in to Japanese culture much the way men opening doors for women is engrained into several European cultures.

Junior people pour drinks for senior people. If someone is your boss you pour for them. A business person will always pour for a customer. If a woman is your boss or customer you should always pour for her.

On special occasions such as going away parties, weddings and birthdays everyone wants to pour for the people being celebrated.

It's also considered a humble gesture to lightly pretend to refuse the drink. The person pouring always insists (considered hospitality). This routine is mostly practiced amongst the older generation in Japan.

When someone pours a round it's rude not to reciprocate. In other words, if your glass is empty and you're thirsty first pour for others and they will reciprocate.

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Other utensils

While knives and forks will not be used at the traditional Japanese dining table, Chinese-style ceramic spoons are used to eat soups, and regular spoons are used to eat Japanese dishes such as “donburi” or “curry rice”.

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Seating

Japanese traditionally eat sitting on cushion placed on tatami floor. They seat around a low table. In formal situations both male and female are kneeling (“seiza”). In casual situations men sit cross-legged and women sit with both legs to one side.