Quote:
Originally Posted by Lauren Summerhill
Another hint, never jab your chopsticks into the rice or food leaving them standing upright. That is done at funerals only, it is a sign of death and mourning. Doing it in any other context is bad luck and rude. Always lay them on the chopstick holder, or lay them across the plate/bowl.
The biggest mistake I see people make with chopsticks - when you are talking, and motioning your hand as part of expression - doing so while holding chopsticks is rude, both in China and Japan. If you tend to talk with your hands, put down your chopsticks. It's something I personally always have to make a conscious effort to do.
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LS is so right about holding and direction of the "hashi." But in Japan they want to make sure that no one loses face so they would never tell anyone that are doing it wrong, especially gaijin.
My two local Japanese restaurants no longer offer holders, so I fold up the wrapper like the letter "M" and create a holder that way. It isn't origami but it keeps the hashi off the table.
