Eating Etiquette

Japan is famous for its delicious food. Oyishii (美味しい)~ I love the taste of their food, and the presentation of the dishes. Each plate and utensil is also filled with heart to showcase the food in its best form.

Before going into details about the cuisine, I would like to share some tips about eating in Japan. Japan is famous for its hospitality and so, naturally, they would like to serve you well. Not knowing the language has become a barrier for me to enjoy all types of food. I have been turned away for many times but I understand - if we cannot communicate, how can they make sure my preferences and allergies are taken care of? How can they make sure I am satisfied with the food and service? Therefore, if you ever get turned away, don’t get angry - they are just trying to make sure your needs are met, and that you are well taken care of.

1. Reservation. For non-Japanese speakers, I do recommend making a reservation, especially for popular restaurants. The easiest way to reserve is through your hotel concierge. They would even “vouch” for you because certain restaurants are worried about serving foreigners as we have very different preferences than Japanese. This also helps clear the expectations of both parties, including dress code. I have not yet tried reserving a restaurant online in Japan, but I have heard great experiences from those as well.

2. Dress code. While casual dress is accepted in most restaurants, certain types of restaurants like the traditional ones expect business casual or at least a buttoned-down shirt. Remember a lot of Japanese go to izakaya after work together, and they usually wear suits to work. Thus, make sure you check the dress code before going to a restaurant.

3. Useful Phrases. Before eating, Japanese would say “itadakimasu” (いただきます), meaning “Let’s eat”. And after eating, they would say “go-chi-so sa-ma de-shi-ta” (ごちそうさまでした), meaning “Thank you for the meal"“.

4. Pictures. I am guilty of this - try not to take pictures and delay the time you enjoy the food. The chefs would like you to eat the food at the perfect timing they prepare it for you. If you are too tied up taking pictures (assuming they allow you to take pictures - which is not always the case), you may miss the perfect moment to enjoy the food. An example is sushi. The chef uses his/her hand to warm the sushi to the perfect temperature for you to take a bite. If you keep taking pictures, the sushi will get cold and will not taste the same.

5. Timing or speed of eating. This varies depending on what you are eating. For ramen, their margin is really small so ideally, you should leave your spot as soon as you finish your food so the next customer can be served. However, for other restaurants, try to pay attention if there is a time limit for your meal. For example, it’s common for a table for two to spend about 1.5 hours to finish a meal so they can turn the table around. Another interesting fact is that Japanese workers like to gather after work to eat/drink together. Thus, if you are a traveler, especially a foreigner, I would suggest going to the restaurants for dinner right when they open at around 5ish pm, and finish before 6:30pm or 7pm so the restaurants can have more tables to serve the Japanese workers, and regulars.

   Last but not least, while it’s not etiquette specifically, always check to see if the restaurant accepts credit cards, or cash only, before entering. As credit cards are more accepted, certain mom-and-pops are still cash only. For example, a couple of my favorite udon and soba restaurants (and even an expensive sushi chain) would only take cash. Don’t assume they take credit cards!