Chopstick Etiquette

My mother always told me never to leave my chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. Or to wave them around while talking (I tend to be extremely animated with my hands). And don't ever scrape food off a plate with chopsticks. If I ever did any of this, I will surely be cursed. Maybe this is why I'm so short? Although I never realized this list of chopsticks etiquette was mandatory since the Japanese first used them about 1800 years ago. However, in the early days, these chopsticks were used only by royalty and us peons had to eat with our hands. Gross.

This etiquette of using chopsticks has been handed down from generation to generation....down to me.

Good gawd, now I know why my family always whoofed down our food within minutes. We fear the curse.

Hold your chopsticks towards their end, and not in the middle or the front third.

When you are not using your chopsticks and when you are finished eating, lay them down in front of you with the tip to left.

Do not stick chopsticks into your food, especially not into rice. Only at funerals are chopsticks stuck into the rice that is put onto the altar.

Do not pass food with your chopsticks directly to somebody else's chopsticks. Only at funerals are the bones of the cremated body given in that way from person to person.

Do not spear food with your chopsticks.

Do not point with your chopsticks to something or somebody.

Do not move your chopsticks around in the air too much, nor play with them.

Do not move around plates or bowls with chopsticks.

However,this one always bothered me around family.

Slurping is NOT considered impolite in Japan.

Uhhh...But this is kind of a no-brainer, isn't it? Honestly....picky,picky,picky [no pun intended].......

If possible, try not to blow your nose at the table.