歩を停留しる: Project : Japanese Table Manners (re-type)

Section 1 : My belief

In my belief, Japanese have a lot of rules when dining. Based on comic, movie, drama and books, I found Japanese will say "itadakimasu" before a meal that mean "I will start eating". And there is "gochisosama deshita" which is like a thank you for what they have eaten after the meal. These actions similar with Chinese dining rules especially the younger will greet the elder before and after the meal.

Beside that, Japanese mainly use chopsticks as the tools to eat. However, the shape is a bit different with Chinese chopsticks and smaller. Japanese think it is impolite if we spear food, play drums, wave or pull a plate towards us with chopsticks. Anyway, they use fork, spoon, bowl, plate and others to eat meal too.

Sometimes Japanese will sit on cushions on tatami mats to eat meal. But sometimes I feel the posture when they sit on tatami is painful. There is a short table in the middle. At winter, Japanese will put mattress or heater beside to maintain warm.

Furthermore, Japanese make loud noise when they drink and eat noodles. They think the louder they make the better it is. And Japanese believe make noise sound is some kind of respect to the chef.

Japanese like to eat raw food too. Dishes such as sashimi and sushi are made with raw food. They favourite type of food are not vegetables, fruits or anything else but is seafood. They often serve seafood uncooked because it is the most fresh, delicious and healthiest way to eat seafood. However, one of the older Japanese’s favourite dishes – the meat of whale have cause about thousand of whale dead. Their hunting on whale had pay attention by environmental groups, international governments and whale-lovers worldwide.