Recently, Japanese cuisine has become fashionable. And with it the traditional oriental table etiquette. Japanese sticks have become an indispensable attribute in any restaurant or sushi bar. For us, accustomed to standard forks and spoons, eating rice or rolls with chopsticks is a real wildness. But learning is never too late. So, how to hold Japanese sticks?
A bit of history ...
Japanese sticks are an old, traditional device that is used in East Asia. They first appeared in ancient China. Legend has it that they were invented by an ancestor of the Japanese and Chinese named Yu, who was trying to get a piece of fatty meat from a hot and narrow cauldron. The correct name for the chopsticks is kaizi or hashi. Initially, they were made of bone, but now wooden, more practical sticks are in demand. Rich people in the Middle Ages could afford to eat from silver appliances to avoid arsenic-poisoned food, since the precious metal darkens from it. In Japan and China, sticks were decorated with carvings, jewelry, enameled - this was a symbol of wealth. In the East, sticks are a purely personal item that cannot be transferred to other family members or friends. Therefore, restaurants and cafes serve disposable wooden or plastic equivalents - varibashi. As you can see, the story of this cutlery is ancient. So, how to hold Japanese sticks? During such a time, not only etiquette has become more complicated, but also the rules for using such exotic things.
How to hold Japanese sticks?
Restaurants and sushi bars serve Hashi connected. In order to use them, you must carefully separate them. The lower part of the sushi sticks is non-working - it is motionless during meals. The upper, dominant Hashi is working. So, the base of the stick, which is located below, is located between the index finger and the brush. The thin end is firmly pressed with the upper thumb to the ring finger. At the same time, we hold the working (upper) hashi like a pen and freely manipulate it. Now you know how to hold Japanese sticks. But do not forget about the rules of etiquette!
Etiquette and Hashi
Japanese restaurants in Moscow offer a huge assortment of dishes that need to be eaten with hashi. After all, Asian cuisine is a whole tradition, previously unknown to us. But not enough knowledge about how to hold Japanese sticks. You must follow the basic rules of Japanese etiquette :
- Do not leave hasi and do not stick them in food (this is done only at funeral ceremonies).
- Do not lick the cutlery - this is the height of indecency.
- If you deigned to touch a piece of the dish with your wand, you must eat it.
- Does a friend ask you to pass food across the table? Do not do this under any circumstances. In Japan, this is not accepted.
- If you have a hashi in your fist, it means your hostility. Do not play with them or move dishes while eating.
- Do not draw attention to yourself: communicate quietly and do not laugh out loud.
A bit about traditions
In Japan, every family has special hashi stands. They are collected and revered. In addition, the ability to eat with Japanese chopsticks is very much appreciated. For example, a competition is being held to recruit staff for a hotel or restaurant. Whoever collects beads the fastest with all the sticks can receive not only a place of work, but also an additional bonus. Hashi is a whole culture. Learn to eat them correctly, improve your skills at home, and you will understand why they are so revered in Asia.