Last week I posted a few of the cultural norms I've been learning since I arrived at Japan, this post will be a continuation of that topic, but with a much more focused subject: Sushi.
For those of you who enjoy eating sushi, you may be going against several unspoken rules and etiquette regarding how to eat sushi properly. Many of the "rules" I learned here were ones that I had broken frequently back at home in the states, and ones that I know my Western friends break as well. So let's get started on the Do's and Do Not's of sushi so you can wow everyone with your sophistication if/when you come to Japan!
For starters, say you're out eating sushi with some friends and you all get a shared plate with some various types of rolls and other sushi. It is perfectly alright to pick up the pieces of sushi you want with you fingers (be sure to wash your hands first though!) Some people consider using your fingers to be more appropriate than picking up pieces with chopsticks, as chopsticks can be difficult and can ruin the delicate arrangement of the ingredients that the sushi chef worked hard on. This goes for eating the sushi too, but be sure to follow the other rules too. Chopsticks must be used for ginger or wasabi!
When eating a piece of sushi, never bite the piece in half, it will cause everything to fall apart once you bite through the wrapping. As someone who only started eating sushi last year, this is the rule I had broken every single time. My mentality in doing so was that I didn't know if I would like the way it tasted and didn't want to put a big piece in my mouth only to dislike it. This is a rule I will not break anymore. Alright, so your eating sushi proficiently now, or so you think, make sure that when eating your piece of sushi (in one bite) that you are putting the fish side directly on your tongue. This is so that you can get the full flavor and freshness of the fish (it doesn't really apply to sushi rolls since they are usually the same on both top and bottom).
When you order sushi, you're also given ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce. If you choose to use these condiments keep in mind the proper ways of doing so.
1. Wasabi: If you would like to add wasabi to your sushi, take a small dab (with chopsticks) and put it on top of the fish. Many types of sushi already have wasabi between the fish and rice. Do NOT mix the wasabi into the soysauce! This is one that my friends back home are guilty of.
2. Soy Sauce: When dipping your sushi in soy sauce, always dip the fish side. It's considered rude to dip the rice as the sushi chef worked hard to create a perfect texture, temperature, etc of the rice to compliment the fish and soaking it in soy sauce is like subtly saying that the rice is not good enough.
3. Ginger: Pieces of ginger are meant to be eaten between different types of sushi as a palette cleanser. Ginger should not be put on the sushi or eaten while the sushi is in your mouth, it also should not be added to the soy sauce. I have a cousin back home who likes to do this and I will be informing her about this post.
A few more generalized rules of etiquette when eating out in Japan:
- Do not rub your chopsticks together after breaking them. I've seen many of my friends doing this, its supposed to be a way to remove excess bits of the chopstick, it's considered very rude and is like telling the chef that the utensils are cheap. I promise you aren't going to get any kind of splinter or anything.
- Unlike in the West, you are not expected to leave a tip in Japan. Quite the opposite actually as it is considered rude, it's almost akin to saying that the chef cannot support himself doing his job. However, if you really enjoy a meal and want to thank the chef, treat him to a bit of sake to drink with you and your guests as a thank you for the delicious food he has prepared.
- When ordering sushi, you should try considering the types and order/eat more fatty types last so that the flavor of more fatty fish does not overpower that of lighter flavored fish. For example, you should consider eating a lighter fish piece, like snapper, before eating a piece with fatty tuna so that the strong tuna taste does not mask the taste of the snapper. (Using ginger between pieces can help too if you're like me and know next to nothing about fish).
I hope these little rules will be useful if you go out and enjoy sushi at a restaurant whether here in Japan or anywhere around the world, I'm sure your sushi chef will be pleased to see that the dish they worked hard on is being enjoyed properly. Also, these rules obviously don't apply for casual settings, and again the Japanese are very polite, so if you do happen to forget a rule or you slip up you don't have to worry about being yelled at, but if you follow them I'm sure you impress your Japanese friends.
じゃあまたね!
Julia.
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