Dining Guide / Japanese Dining
Eating Sushi, Sashimi and Tempura
A little wasabi on sashimi, sushi dipped fish-side down and eaten in one bite, tempura taken from the front. Here's how to enjoy each without breaking it apart.
Key Points
- For sashimi, a common recommendation is to place a little wasabi on the fish and touch just the edge to the soy sauce. Mixing wasabi into the soy sauce is also very common.
- If soy sauce might drip, pick up the soy dish and hold it under the bite rather than cupping your hand.
- Nigiri can be eaten with your fingers or chopsticks. Tip it on its side, dip the fish (not the rice) lightly, and eat it in one bite.
- For gunkan rolls, some people dip a slice of pickled ginger in soy sauce and brush it over the topping so nothing falls apart.
- Eat a tempura platter from the front and top so the arrangement doesn't collapse. You may hold the dipping-sauce bowl, and salt is a good alternative.
Do
- Eat sushi in one bite
- Use soy sauce sparingly
- Eat tempura while it's freshly fried
Avoid
- Soaking the rice in soy sauce
- Putting a bitten piece of sushi back
- Soaking all the tempura in sauce at once
Handy Tip
Some suggest eating mild white fish before richer cuts. It's a preference, not a rule — enjoy them in any order you like.
Customs That Vary
At a sushi counter, ordering omakase (chef's choice) and mentioning foods you can't eat are part of the fun. Words like "agari" (tea) and "oaiso" (the bill) are said to be staff slang, so plain words work fine. And there's no tipping in Japan.
Practice in a Lesson
Sources
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan), “Wa no Haizen: Japanese Place Setting” — Ichiju-sansai placement, using the hand as a plate, and handling bowl lids.
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan), “The Story of Chopsticks, Part 2” — Holding chopsticks and using them with bowls and sushi.
- Japan National Tourism Organization, “Japanese Food Etiquette Guide” — Japanese place settings, chopsticks, shared dishes and pouring drinks.