Dining etiquette

1.  Tables and sitting

Many restaurants and homes in Japan are equipped with Western-style chairs and tables. However, traditional Japanese low tables and cushions, usually found on tatami floors, are still very common. Tatami mats, which are made of straw, can be easily damaged and are hard to clean, thus shoes or any type of footwear are always taken off when stepping on tatami floors.

When dining in a traditional tatami room, sitting upright on the floor is common. In a casual setting, men usually sit with their feet crossed and women sit with both legs to one side. Only men are supposed to sit cross-legged. The formal way of sitting for both sexes is a kneeling style known as seiza. To sit in a seiza position, one kneels on the floor with legs folded under the thighs and the buttocks resting on the heels.

When dining out in a restaurant, the host will guide you to your seat and it is polite to wait to be seated. The honored or eldest guest will usually be seated at the center of the table farthest from the entrance. In the home, the most important guest is also seated farthest away from the entrance. If there is an alcove or tokonoma in the room, the guest is seated in front of it. The host sits next to or closest to the entrance.

Etiquette Information

11:13 AM

Flowers such as the sakura and chrysanthemum are national symbols of Japan. Such flowers have the power to invoke powerful emotions. They're ingrained in Japanese thinking.



Beyond these national symbols, other flowers have more subtle meanings. In Japan, flowers are a traditional gift for both men and women. They are often used to convey what can't be spoken.

The language of flowers (Hanakotoba, 花言葉) is fading. These days, many Japanese are unaware that flowers have traditional meanings. However, flower meanings do make occasional appearances in modern popular culture such as manga and anime.

These are amongst the most popular flowers in Japan.

Etiquette Information

2:21 AM

The Japanese New Year (正月 shōgatsu^?) is an annual festival with its own customs. The preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka. The Japanese New Year has been celebrated since 1873 according to the Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year (New Year's Day where the Gregorian calendar is used). In Okinawa, the cultural New Year is still celebrated as the contemporary Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese New Years.

Culture Etiquette Information Traditions

11:12 AM

Many people will ask a guest to open a gift, but if they do not, the Japanese will resist the urge to ask if they can open the gift. Since the act of accepting a gift can create a sense of unfulfilled obligation on the part of the receiver, gifts are sometimes refused, depending on the situation.

Seasonal gifts

There are two gift seasons in Japan, called seibo (歳暮^?) and chūgen (中元^?). One is for winter and the other is for summer. Gifts are given to those with whom one has a relationship, especially the people who have helped the gift giver.

Culture Etiquette

12:16 PM

Chopsticks are short, frequently tapered sticks used in pairs of equal length, which are used as the traditional eating utensils of China,Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Generally believed to have originated in ancient China, they can also be found in some areas of Tibet andNepal that are close to Han Chinese populations, as well as areas of Thailand, Laos and Burma which have significant Chinese populations; otherwise, the traditional method of eating is with hands, and more recently, Western cutlery.^[1] Chopsticks are most commonly made of wood, bamboo or plastic, but are also made of metal, bone and ivory. Chopsticks are held in the dominant hand, between the thumb and fingers, and used to pick up pieces of food.

Etiquette Information

11:10 AM

It is considered an honor to be invited to someone's home in Japan. Many Japanese regard their homes as being too humble to entertain guests. Shoes are not worn inside – since the floor level is often higher than ground or entrance level or even the same height, Japanese don't want the floor to be stained by soil, sand or dust that may be attached to the soles. Instead, shoes are removed in the genkan(mudroom or entrance foyer), and often replaced with slippers called uwabaki. Just wearing socks is also acceptable in informal situations. Genkan are found in even small apartments, where they are correspondingly small, and feature a small step up. Socks, however, are not generally removed – bare feet are acceptable when visiting a close friend, but not otherwise. There are also separate slippers used when using a bathroom, for reasons of hygiene.

Etiquette

11:05 AM