Before eating, wait for everyone else then say: Itadakimasu (Remember “eat a ducky mouse”)

1. Before eating, wait for everyone else then say:Itadakimasu(Remember “eat a ducky mouse”) How to eat: Rice: Hold the rice bowl in one hand and the chopsticks in the other. You may lift the bowl towards your mouth while eating. Do not pour soy sauce over white, cooked rice. Eat all of your rice. Miso Soup: Drink the soup out of the bowl as if it were a cup, and fish out the solid food pieces with your chopsticks. From shared dishes: move some food from the shared plates onto your own with the opposite end of your chopsticks or with serving chopsticks. Big pieces of food: (e.g. prawn tempura, tofu) Separate into bite sized pieces with your chopsticks, or just bite off a piece and put the rest back onto your plate. Sushi and Sashimi: Pour some soy sauce into the small dish provided. You may add a little wasabi. Dip the pieces into the soy sauce. Eat in one go. Noodles: Using your chopsticks lead the noodles into your mouth. Slurping noodles is considered evidence of enjoying the meal! Some useful words and gestures: Oishii – delicious Suki– (Pron. ski) I like it Daisuki - Favourite Sugoi – Amazing, great Irasshaimase – welcome (heard as you enter businesses) Mou kekko desu – I’ve had enough, thank you Negative or no more - fan away flies from your face Money - make a circle with your thumb and index finger Drinking rules • It is customary to serve each other, rather than pour your own. Check your friends' cups and refill their drinks if they’re getting empty. If someone wants to serve you more, take a drink then hold your glass towards that person. • Do not start drinking until everybody at the table is served and the glasses are raised for a drinking salute, which usually is "kampai". At the end of the meal say: Gochisou sama (deshita)

2. Chopsticks HOW TO USE CHOPSTICKS 1) Rest the end of the lower chopstick in the V of your thumb and forefinger. Support the chopstick with the little finger and the ring finger. 2) Hold the upper chopstick as if it were a pencil, held between your middle finger and index finger, and anchored with your thumb. 3) Make sure the tips of the chopsticks are always even, and the same length - it is impossible to use the chopsticks effectively if the tip of one stick protrudes beyond the other. 4) When picking up food, the lower chopstick should remain still - only the upper chopstick should pivot, with the thumb as axis. Some of the most important rules to remember when dining with chopsticks are as follows: • Hold your chopsticks towards their end, not in the middle or the front third. • When you are not using your chopsticks, or have finished eating, lay them down in front of you with the tips to left. • Do not stick chopsticks into your food, especially not into rice. • Do not pass food directly from your set of chopsticks to another's. • Do not spear food with your chopsticks. • Do not point with your chopsticks. • Do not wave your chopsticks around in the air or play with them. • Do not move plates or bowls around with your chopsticks. If unsure, look at what others around you are doing and learn from them!