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Eating
Most restaurants provide a hot towel for cleaning your hands before
eating - very civilized! Befor eating, it is customary to say
'Itadaki-masu'. There isn't really an equivalent in English (except maybe 'Bon
appetit'?!). It depends on the food, of course, but hashi
(chopsticks) are the most widely used implememts for eating.
It's not impolite to ask for a knife and fork or spoon if you
have trouble with chopsticks. Some restaurants may not have them
but those serving Western food always do.
Chopsticks should not be used for anything other than putting food in your mouth. They
certainly shouldn't be used for pointing to someone or moving
dishes around the table. You should never pass anything from one pair of chopsticks to another, or stick them into a bowl
of rice - these are done only as part of the funeral ritual! There will sometimes
be a hashi-oki, or small object to rest the chopsticks on.
When eating noodles, such as
soba or ramen, it is okay to slurp loudly. In fact,
they say it improves the flavor! After a meal, it is polite to
say 'Gochiso-sama deshita'.
Drinking
The Japanese are a quiet and reserved people, except when they're
drunk - and most of them get drunk pretty easily. Going drinking
with fellow students or coworkers is almost a ritual in Japan.
It is considered the best way to break down barriers and cement
relationships and behaviour can get pretty rowdy. But all is forgiven
and forgotten the next day. It is polite to pour other people's
drinks and then hold your own glass while your host or friend
fills it. having other people constantly filling your glass can
lead to a lot of alcohol disappearing very quickly! The Japanese
toast is 'Kampai' (literally 'dry glass'). If you are invited out, it is common
for your host to pay the bill, but of course this should be played
by ear.
Bathing
Japan has a long history of communal bathing and a visit to one
of its thousands of onsen (hot springs) can be a highlight of any trip. As in the bathroom
in a private home, you wash yourself outside the bath before getting
into the hot water to soak. It is not uncommon for people to scrub
each other's backs. Sento (public bath houses) are quite common as there are still some
cheap apartments without their own bathrooms. They cost around
300 yen per visit. You should bring your own toiletries and put
your shoes and clothes in the lockers provided. Sento and onsen
are almost always separated by sex these days but mixed bathing
can still be found in a few places.
General
Japanese people don't usually use handkerchiefs for blowing their
nose. It's very common to see packs of tissues being given out
on the street. They're free because they contain advertisements.
Eating on the street is considered impolite but has become more
common. Spitting and urinating in public (mainly by middle-aged
or drunk men) don't seem to raise too many eyebrows.
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