Taboos

https://www.washokuexplorer.com/blog/tag/how-to-hold/

Chopsticks

Sticking your chopsticks upright in a rice bowl

According to teaching of Buddhism, especially in Japan, people stick the chopsticks upright in the rice when they mourn the dead. It's the way a bowl of rice is offered to the spirit of a dead person, at their deathbed or in front of their photograph on the household Buddhist altar.  Some people also say that upright chopsticks invoke the image of burning incense at Buddhist funerals. Chopsticks represent the bridge from this life to the life after death. Thus, people pray for the dead with the chopsticks sticking upright in a bowl of rice with the intent that the person can go to heaven without losing his/her way to Buddha. 
When you’re not eating, the best place to put your chopsticks is on the hashi-oki, (or “chopstick rest”)  In more casual restaurants hashi-oki are not always provided, so you can lay your chopsticks across your rice bowl or plate, but make sure that the chopsticks are placed neatly together and not crossed, as this can also remind people of funerals.

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. 

Transferring food

In the Buddhist funeral tradition, after a body is cremated, the bones are picked from the ashes with special chopsticks and passed from one family member to another to transfer into an urn. So attempting to pass food with your chopsticks—or even accidentally picking up the same piece of food with your chopsticks at the same time as someone else—will strongly remind someone of these funeral rites. It’s a violation of sacred Japanese customs and traditions.  

If you do need to pass food to someone else, ask them for their individual plate (called a torizara) and serve the food to them that way. However, it can be a hygiene issue to touch food directly with your own chopsticks, so make sure to either use the serving utensils provided or turn your chopsticks over and use the blunt end when handling food from a communal dish.

Impaling/Stabbing Food

There are certain foods that you might struggle to pick up. For example, beans, boiled egg, and some other round and slippery foods that are very difficult to pick up and bring to the mouth.

Pointing
Pointing your index finger at others usually implies accusation, thus doing so while eating cannot be permitted and often comes off strongly as an offence. 

If you ate with disposable chopsticks, place them neatly back inside of the small bag and fold the end. Otherwise, leave them sideways on your plate rather than pointing them at the person seated across. Putting your sticks next to your bowl indicates that you aren't finished eating yet.

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Summer

-Soba mat/plate (Slurping Tip)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-yq3F9hoxU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2dSrYr8M2A

-Sauce (Dripping Taboo)
-Side dish (Pulling Taboo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_T7O5eYyoQ
-Chopsticks (Licking taboo)

Slurping noodles is considered evidence of enjoying the meal and enhances the flavour.

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. 

Yose-bashi (Pulling chopsticks)
If the dish is far from your reach, avoid pulling it towards you with chopsticks because the dish can easily be turned over. Instead, drawing dishes with your hands shows appreciation to the meal.


Neburi-bashi (Licking chopsticks)
Licking your chopsticks is seen as an impolite gesture. Avoid licking your chopsticks if food happens to get stuck. 


Autumn

plate thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZJ1HzVH9JA -Pot (Searching for content taboo)
http://www.zen-of-origami.org/Diagrams/Teapot-v2-2005.pdf
http://www.zen-of-origami.org/Diagrams/MagicLamp-2004.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ebeUM9STI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZXqzkSa1Wo


rope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66jKzyHIMLw

-Little bowl
-Chopsticks (Flipping your chopsticks Tip)

Sora-bashi (Searching chopsticks)
Avoid searching specific bits of food you like in the dishes.
Dishes are often arranged in a certain way, therefore, it is discourteous to the chef when you break down the perfect arrangement of the dish to search for the food you like.

Flipping your chopsticks



Winter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZJ1HzVH9JA

-Nabe pot, ladle, chopsticks (Hovering Taboo)


-Chopsticks (Don't pass food directly Taboo)
-Bowl (Pulling Taboo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhDzF9IPKm0

Mayoi-bashi (Wandering Chopsticks)
It’s important to be decisive about what you’re going to eat. Avoid hovering over the food with your chopsticks as it creates a bad impression that you're not interested in any of the chef's dishes. 

Utsushi Bashi
Transferring food with chopsticks is considered as an ominous behaviour in Japan. This action reminds others of a funeral. In Buddhism ceremony, bereaved families pass bones with long chopsticks after cremation.



Spring

-Bowl of rice (Stabbing Taboo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVloybTDs4E

plate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_T7O5eYyoQ


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plate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryttlFFT6Ls

-Pickle side dish Tsukemono (Impaling Food Taboo)
-Chopsticks (Resting it on the bowl or rester, not pointing at the guest)
-Miso bowl (Slurping again Tip?)

Tate-bashi (Standing chopsticks)
Avoid sticking the chopsticks upright in the rice
In Buddhist funerals, families stick the chopsticks upright in the rice when they mourn the dead. Chopsticks represent the bridge from this life to the life after death.

Sashi-Bashi (stabbing-chopsticks / pointing-chopsticks)
Avoid stabbing food with your chopsticks as way of picking it up or cutting it in two.

Slurping shows the chef that the soup is hot, and announces your appetite and appreciation of the dish


Cup / Tea x4

-(Pour for others before pouring for yourself)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7_63czuIEg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5AnTLbF1VU

http://www.origami-resource-center.com/hexagonal-twist-box-calendar.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr1FbIK76Vw