Holding the Rice Bowl and Placing Chopsticks Horizontally: Distinct Dining Etiquette in Our Neighboring Country [Sunday Japanese Culture]

I've already started to miss Korean food. I keep thinking about the kimchi stew and soondae soup restaurants I used to frequent in Euljiro. I remember pulling out a napkin, taking out utensils from the container under the table and arranging them, pouring water into a stainless steel cup-by the time I finish, the meal is already served. Lately, I find myself missing this true "K-fast food" experience. The way meals are eaten in Japan is quite different from Korea. Most people eat using only chopsticks, holding the rice bowl up while eating. Although both countries eat rice, their food cultures are similar yet subtly different. Today, I want to share some insights into Japanese dining etiquette, our neighboring country's customs.

A person in Japan holding a rice bowl and eating rice with chopsticks. Japan Airlines Go To Travel.

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Perhaps the most significant distinction between Korea and Japan is the rice bowl. In Japan, people hold the rice bowl in one hand and use chopsticks to eat. To avoid spilling, they bring the bowl close to their mouth while eating. The same goes for soup: after mixing the ingredients with chopsticks, they hold the soup bowl in their hand to drink. In Korea, we usually leave the bowl on the table and use a spoon. In Japan, both rice and soup are eaten with just chopsticks.

This difference stems from the fact that Korea, China, and Japan each developed unique food cultures, which in turn shaped their dining etiquette. In Korea, many dishes like stews, soups, and broths have a high liquid content. As a result, bowls are deep and curved to prevent spills. Since we typically eat dishes with and without broth together, we use both spoon and chopsticks. There's no need to hold the bowl up and risk spilling, so our bowls are often made from heavy materials like brass or pottery.

How to hold a rice bowl as introduced on the official website of Koto City, Tokyo. Hold the top of the rice bowl with your thumb and support the bottom of the bowl with the other four fingers. Koto City.

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In Japan, where floor-seated living with tatami mats was common for a long time, dining tables were very low. Some studies suggest that during the medieval period, dining tables in Japan were less than 10 centimeters high. This likely led to the habit of holding bowls close to avoid spilling food.

Some also attribute this custom to the influence of Buddhism, which was long established in Japan. After Emperor Tenmu issued a ban on meat consumption in 675, Japan maintained this practice for about 1,200 years because of its reverence for Buddhism. Buddhist etiquette, which encourages holding bowls with proper posture rather than bowing one's head while eating, became a cultural norm. Additionally, Japan's abundance of wood made it easy to produce lightweight wooden tableware, ideal for holding while eating. In contrast, China, where stir-fried and dry dishes are more common, typically uses longer chopsticks and flat plates.

Chopsticks placed horizontally in front of oneself. JAC.

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In Japan, there is a longstanding belief that food ingredients are gifts from the gods. As an agrarian society, it was customary to first offer the best foods to the gods and then cook and share them among people. The phrase "Itadakimasu," said with hands together before a meal, reflects this mindset. While it is often translated as "Bon app?tit" or "I will eat well" in Korean, its origin lies in "itadaku," a verb used when receiving something from a person of higher status, conveying gratitude for receiving something precious.

This mindset also extends to table manners. Chopsticks must always be placed horizontally in front of you. Placing them vertically, as is common in Korea, is considered impolite in Japan. This is said to distinguish between the realm of the gods and humans. Since everything on the table is considered a gift from sacred nature, using chopsticks to draw a boundary signifies the separation between the sacred world and the mundane human world.

However, there are also similarities in dining etiquette between Korea and Japan. In Korea, if children stick chopsticks or spoons upright into their rice, adults often scold them, asking if they're performing a memorial ritual. In Japan, sticking chopsticks vertically into rice is also forbidden, as it mirrors the Buddhist funeral practice of offering food to the deceased.

Examples of impolite chopstick use in Japan. Actions such as hesitating about what to pick up, pointing chopsticks at others, or sticking them vertically into rice are considered disrespectful. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries publicity magazine aff.

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Likewise, passing food directly from one person's chopsticks to another is considered taboo in Japan. This is because, during Buddhist funerals, the bones of the deceased are picked up with chopstick-like tools, and the resemblance is seen as inappropriate. The polite way is to transfer food onto a plate or to encourage the other person to serve themselves directly onto their own plate.

Similar to Korea, Japanese people also pay considerable attention to how chopsticks are used. Proper chopstick handling is regarded as an important part of etiquette education, which is a commonality between the two countries.

It's fascinating to see how dining practices differ even among countries where people eat rice and soup together. Each country's lifestyle and culture are reflected in the way they enjoy a single meal. The weekend is already coming to an end. Make sure to have a hearty meal and get ready for a new week ahead.

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