Chopsticks are an essential item for Japanese people when eating. .
By holding your chopsticks in a beautiful way, you can make your meals more enjoyable.
Today, I’m going to give you an easy-to-understand explanation with photos of the traditional and beautiful way to hold chopsticks, for those of you who have already walked through it, and for your children who will do so in the future.
hold the bottom chopsticks
First, place the chopsticks between the base of your thumb and index finger, and place them next to the nail of your ring finger.
![How to hold the bottom chopsticks](https://sushiliv.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/下のお箸の持ち方-768x1024.jpg)
hold the upper chopsticks
Hold the upper chopsticks with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger, like you would hold a pencil.
![How to hold the upper chopsticks](https://sushiliv.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/上の箸の持ち方-768x1024.jpg)
Try it in action
Of the two chopsticks, only the top one moves. Hold the bottom chopsticks in place to support the food.
Move the top chopstick up and down with your middle finger and index finger. At this time, firmly support the chopsticks with your thumbs so that they do not move sideways or play with them.
![Using chopsticks with both hands](https://sushiliv.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/両手で箸を使っている様子-768x1024.jpg)
Be careful
・Hold your chopsticks two-thirds of the way from the tips of the chopsticks, and keep the tips of the chopsticks firmly aligned.
・According to her mother, children who used to hold crayons in a tight grip and draw when they were children are likely to have a relatively difficult time training with chopsticks. The way you hold a pencil and chopsticks are very similar, so it’s important to practice correctly and patiently from the beginning.
![The wrong way to hold chopsticks](https://sushiliv.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/間違った箸の持ち方-768x1024.jpg)
Although there are some people who are good at eating food even though they have a lot of goo, Japanese people still face a lot of scrutiny when it comes to etiquette and etiquette. It’s never too late to fix it as an adult.
in conclusion
It takes a lot of patience and effort to correct a habit. However, I think that it is often difficult to get things right based on just your feelings, so start by using corrective chopsticks or chopsticks that are the right length for your hands.
Please find your own pair of chopsticks and use them as your companion.