We will introduce you to the correct way to eat sushi and the proper etiquette, focusing on the manners you should know when you go out to eat sushi, so that you will not get into trouble even at high-class restaurants. Shouldn’t you eat sushi with chopsticks? What is the way of eating sushi for a connoisseur to be recognized at a sushi restaurant? What is the unique way of eating sushi for a connoisseur? We will answer questions such as these.
How to eat sushi in a sushi restaurant! How to eat sushi
There are probably people who are not confident about how to eat sushi, such as “I eat sushi in my own way,” “I have trouble conversing with the chef at the counter of a high-end restaurant,” or “Actually, I feel more comfortable eating sushi at a conveyor belt sushi bar.
Sushi is a typical Japanese dish that Japan is proud of. It is popular not only in Japan but also abroad, so as a Japanese, it is worthwhile to learn about sushi culture and the proper way to eat sushi.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
In this article, we will introduce the proper way to eat sushi, from how to order, to how to eat deliciously, to how to act as only a sushi connoisseur can, so that you will not have any trouble at any high-end sushi restaurant. Please take this opportunity to learn the correct way to eat sushi. There is also an explanation of sushi terminology that you will be proud to know.
The correct way to eat sushi without getting into trouble even at a high-end sushi restaurant
Basic Japanese food manners and how to eat before sushi
Sushi is a Japanese food, so basically, you should follow the etiquette of Japanese food. There is no need to be formal when talking about Japanese food manners. Compared to kaiseki cuisine, there are much fewer rules to remember when eating sushi. If you remember the basic manners, you will naturally become a beautiful eater and behave with dignity even at a high-class sushi restaurant.
Manners and Handling of Chopsticks, Utensils, and Handkerchiefs
Although there is a way to eat sushi with your hands, chopsticks are more appropriate for sushi served on a tray or bucket. Chopsticks are also essential when eating gari (pickled ginger) and soup. Even if you do not like to use chopsticks, it is important to know how to use them.
If you carefully raise and lower the chopsticks, you will feel that you are eating in an elegant manner. The correct etiquette is to pick up the chopsticks with your right hand near the center of the chopstick, receive them with your left hand, and then move to holding them with your right hand as you eat.
Also, in Japanese cuisine, the basic etiquette is not to move flat plates other than small plates. If you do move a plate, handle it with both hands. And oshibori (hand towel) is for wiping hands. Wiping your mouth, much less your face, is completely against manners. In upscale restaurants, you should also refrain from wiping the table.
The proper way to eat is to eat well.
There are not many hard and fast rules on how to eat sushi. It is best to think of the rules of eating sushi as a way to enjoy the taste. If you learn the correct way to eat sushi and remember why you are doing it, you will not only avoid making mistakes, but you will also make yourself look like a connoisseur. Please learn the correct way to eat sushi and enjoy delicious sushi.
How to Eat Sushi: Basic Manners
How to enjoy sushi
Sushi is a dish of raw fish, so freshness is essential. The best way to enjoy sushi is to eat it as soon as it is served. When you see beautiful sushi, you may be tempted to take pictures, but if you are so engrossed in taking pictures that you don’t touch the sushi, the delicious sushi will be spoiled.
Especially at the counter, it is unpleasant for the customers around you, so take pictures in a short period of time after asking the restaurant staff for permission.
Also, sushi should be eaten in one bite. Do not bite off a piece of sushi or cut it into pieces with chopsticks. Of course, eating the rice and the fish separately is also not a good way to eat sushi. It is not acceptable to eat only the fish and leave the rice for the sake of dieting.
Although it may be a matter of personal preference, the best way to eat sushi is to put the neta on top of the shari. This way, you will be able to taste the flavor of the fish more deeply. These three points should be kept in mind in order to enjoy the taste of sushi.
POINT How to enjoy sushi
Eat the sushi immediately after it is served.
Take a bite to avoid losing the shape of the sushi.
Put the sushi in your mouth so that the fish is on the bottom.
How to put soy sauce on sushi
The correct way to put soy sauce on sushi is to put a little bit on the neta, not on the rice. It is not recommended to put soy sauce on the rice part, as it will cause the nigirizushi to fall apart and look bad. However, it is difficult to put soy sauce only on the rice without turning the sushi over.
It may seem like it is bad manners to flip the sushi over, but flipping it over is not a bad way to eat sushi. However, it is not a bad way to eat sushi.
POINT How to put soy sauce on the rice
Put soy sauce on the fish, not on the rice.
Put a little bit of soy sauce on the sushi.
It is OK to turn the sushi sideways or flip it over.
How to eat sushi like a connoisseur
You may eat sushi with chopsticks, but the original way is to eat it with your hands. Pick up the sushi with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. If you do not know how to do this, look at the hand of the chef holding the sushi. Once you hold the sushi in your hand, it is customary to eat it without changing it until you bring it to your mouth.
Eating sushi with chopsticks is the same as dipping the fish in soy sauce. However, it is not a neat way to eat sushi to repeatedly pick it up and place it on a small plate, turn it over, dip it in soy sauce, and so on.
The basic way to eat sushi is to pick it up with chopsticks and hold it until you bring it to your mouth. When you first pick up the sushi, grab the sushi with the neta side and the shari side attached to the chopsticks, and bring it sideways to the soy sauce dish for smooth eating.
POINT How to pick up sushi
When eating with your hands, it is customary to pick up the sushi with three fingers.
When using chopsticks, it is a common gesture not to put them down temporarily more than once
If your hands get dirty, use a finger wipe.
How to Eat Sushi: Applied Manners
How to put soy sauce on gari
The basic rule of nigirizushi is to put soy sauce on the ingredients by flipping them over. However, it is difficult to put soy sauce on sushi that loses its shape when it is knocked over, such as gunkanmaki. If you are worried about the sushi losing its shape, you can use gari as a brush to put soy sauce on the sushi. Using cucumber attached to the gunkan is also a common way to eat sushi.
However, be careful not to put so much soy sauce on the brush that it drips onto the brush.
POINT How to apply soy sauce with gari or a brush
Gari or cucumber is an acceptable way to put soy sauce on nigirizushi.
Gari brushes are not acceptable on nigirizushi.
If you have a brush, apply a quick dab of soy sauce.
How to eat sushi when the fish is too big
The proper way to eat sushi is to eat it in one bite, so avoid eating only the neta first. However, there are times when the sushi is too large to eat in one bite. Therefore, it is smart to eat half of the rice first, and then eat the rest of the fish and rice in one bite. If you can’t fit the sushi rice in your mouth, you can ask the chef to make a smaller sushi rice ball.
POINT What to do if the fish ball is too big
Avoid eating neta and shari separately.
Eat half of the rice first.
Ask for a smaller nigiri.
How to choose a seat
When you think of sushi restaurants, you may have an image of counter seating. If you want to consult with the chef about the best way to eat sushi or watch the chef making sushi, counter seating is recommended. On the other hand, if you do not like to talk with the chef, or if you cannot enjoy your meal because of the way people look at you, you should choose a tatami room.
If you are dining with a superior, you should also check where the upper seats are located. If you are dining in a tatami room, the upper seat is at the back of the room. If you are seated at the counter, your superior seat is not at the back of the restaurant, but in front of the chef. If there are many chefs, the best seat is in front of the chef.
How to Eat Sushi: Common Manners
It is customary to eat in order.
It is considered customary to eat fish in order of lightest to richest flavor. This is a universal way of eating any kind of food, not just sushi. Therefore, it is important to remember that the basic way to eat fish is to start with white fish that is not oily.
Eating fish in season is also a common way of eating sushi. Fish are seasonal, so enjoying sushi with a sense of the seasons is also a delicious way to eat sushi. When you sit down at the counter, it is also a common practice to ask if there is any fish in season or to ask for a recommendation.
It is also okay to start with your favorite fish. If you dare to eat from a strong-flavored fish, refresh your palate by eating gari (pickled ginger) between bites.
POINT How to order like a connoisseur
Start with light white meat.
Tuna, sea urchin, and other strong-flavored items should be served last.
Know the season of the fish.
Eat recommended items within your budget.
Enjoying sushi recommendations while conversing with the chef is a way of eating that only a connoisseur can enjoy. It is a little hesitant to check the price every time, especially if you are on a date or entertaining a client, and it may make you feel uncomfortable if you worry too much about the price.
In order to eat without worrying about the price, you can let us know your budget in advance when you make a reservation. Ask them to signal you when you reach your budget. They will recommend soup at a good point, and that will be the time to end the meal.
POINT Tips to stay within your budget
Tell them your budget in advance when you make a reservation.
It is OK to ask for the price even at high-end restaurants; it is not OK to repeatedly and persistently confirm the price
When you are offered a bowl of soup, it is a sign that it is time to end the meal.
Sushi connoisseurs will want to know these basic sushi terms! Basic Sushi Terms
Sushi Terms You Need to Know
There are many terms unique to sushi, such as “shari” for the rice used in nigirizushi and “neta” for the ingredients. Even if you are not familiar with the terminology used by sushi chefs, you should at least be familiar with the terms you need to know when eating sushi. The following sushi terms are generally known as common sense, and you should learn them.
- Agari・・・・Tea
- Tamago・・・Omelet
- Gari・・・Sweet pickled ginger
- Pickled・・・・fish marinated in soy sauce sauce sauce
- Geta・・・A wooden stand with legs on which sushi is placed.
Sushi Terms You Need to Know to Feel Like a Connoisseur
If you want to be a sushi connoisseur, you should know some of the sushi terms used by sushi chefs. There are many well-known terms such as “murasaki,” which means soy sauce, but here are some sushi terms you can be proud to know.
For example, wasabi is called “Namida” because wasabi makes your nose twitch and tears come out when you eat it.
- Yama・・・ Out of stock
- Namida・・・・Wasabi
- Hakarime・・・・Hakarime is sea eel
- Aniki・・・The old one
- Otouto – the newer type
This is NG in a sushi restaurant!
Take down the geta from the counter.
The plates and geta on the counter are used by the itamae to serve sushi, so basically they must not be moved. However, petite women may not be able to reach them. It is acceptable to move the plate to your hand only when taking sushi, but it is good manners to return it to its original position immediately.
Placing a plate on the serving table
If you see a raised area on the chef’s side of the counter, that is the tsuke-dai. This is a special plate for the sushi that the chef has made. Customers are not allowed to put their empty plates or hand towels on it. If you order a lot of sushi and the counter is full of plates, ask the waiter to take them down instead of putting them on the tsukeban.
Aroma etiquette
Strong aromas are not acceptable in a dining environment, and sushi is a dish where the delicate flavors and aromas of each item can be enjoyed. Make sure that there are no strong scents of perfume or fabric softener before entering the restaurant. Of course, it is also good manners to refrain from smoking. Be especially careful about aroma etiquette when seated at the counter.
Pretending to be a connoisseur at an upscale restaurant
Even if you are a sushi connoisseur or a regular customer at a high-class restaurant, it is not acceptable to flaunt your knowledge. It is not acceptable to talk about your knowledge at length without being asked, use a lot of sushi terminology, or monopolize the chef. A true sushi connoisseur maintains a sophisticated manner of eating sushi that is obvious to anyone who sees it.
Common problems at sushi restaurants and how to deal with them
Being offered a sushi or sake you don’t like: How to refuse
If you are offered an item you don’t like, it is okay to refuse. If you are allergic to something, it is also a good idea to tell the waiter at the beginning. For example, “I don’t like hikarimono” or “I don’t like shellfish. On the other hand, you are welcome to tell them what you like to eat, such as “I like white meat.
Of course, it is also OK to decline if you are not fond of alcohol. In French restaurants, it is a rule to order a soft drink or other alcoholic beverage even if you do not order alcohol, but there is no need to force yourself to order it at a sushi restaurant.
Not liking wasabi: How to order without wasabi
If you do not like wasabi, you can request to have it removed. At sushi restaurants where wasabi is pre-seasoned with soy sauce or salt, the chef will season the wasabi to just the right level of salt, so it is recommended to taste it as is if possible.
Spilling Soy Sauce: The Smart Way to Handle It
If you spill soy sauce, you tend to wipe it up with a hand towel in a hurry, but this is actually bad manners. In fact, this is actually bad manners. Especially in upscale restaurants, it is not a good idea to wipe the counter by yourself. Ask the restaurant to wipe the counter with a kitchen towel.
If soy sauce splashes on your clothes, get up from your seat and use your own handkerchief in the restroom. If you must use a hand towel, it is good manners to say no before using it.
Not knowing the price: How to casually stay within your budget
A common problem at high-end sushi restaurants is that the prices are not written on the menu, making it difficult to know what your budget is. Even at common sushi restaurants, you sometimes see a tag that says “market price.
It is never bad manners to ask about the price, so if you see a “market price” tag hanging, ask honestly. If you are so worried about the price that you can’t even taste the sushi, you are missing the whole point.
Eating sushi is simple! There is no need to be self-conscious.
In this article, we have introduced the proper way to eat sushi. As you can see from the article, sushi restaurant etiquette is not difficult. Manners are a way of eating to enjoy the meal, so basically it is enough if the people in attendance do not feel uncomfortable. If you can keep the basic manners and eating style in mind, you will be able to enjoy a delicious sushi meal.
If you are interested in a good sushi restaurant, check here!
Once you have mastered how to eat sushi, you will want to eat delicious sushi. Please check out our website for articles dealing with recommended sushi restaurants.
