Japanese Food Etiquette
Respect to host:
Before a meal, it is conventional to say “Itadakimasu’” or いただきます, which basically means “I receive (the meal) with gratitude”. It is customary to say this before the meal to show respect to the host who made the meal. It is very similar to ‘Bon Appetite’ in French.
After the meal, it is conventional to say “Gochisōsama deshita”, (or ごちそうさまでした), to the host or restaurant staff when the meal is over. It means “Thank you for a good meal, it was delicious’”.
It is also correct to eat ALL that is given to you. Otherwise it is considered rude towards the host.
Hot Towel tradition:
In Japan, most restaurants or hosts will provide with a warm towel (an oshibori, or wet napkin) to clean hands before the meal. This service is only provided before the meal, not after. Also, it’s rude to use the oshibori on body parts other than the hand, such as the face.
Drinking:
In Japanese culture, it is traditional to begin all alcohol drinking with a toast, or a kanpai. Additionally, everyone should drink together at the same rate, rather than pouring oneself a drink and not others. Also, when the host pours your drink, it is proper to hold your glass with both hands and thank him.
Bowls:
Rice and soup bowls are eaten by picking up the bowl in one hand and using the chopsticks with the other. It is customary to pick the bowl up with the left and use chopsticks with the right, however over time it is acceptable to do the opposite if you are left handed. Additionally, for rice, unlike soup, the bowl shouldn’t touch the mouth of the person, however for soup the person must.
Chopsticks:
In Japanese tradition, chopsticks are used as basically a replacement for a fork. It is used to eat almost everything, with the exception of soup and a few other foods. It is considered rude to bite ones chopsticks. As well, chopsticks are never left in the rice vertically, as it resembles sticks placed into the sand, which is a ritual offered to the dead. Lastly, using the chopsticks to point, jab, or spear the food is considered extremely disrespectful.
