You have a dinner on a trip abroad or in Japan
Dining Abroad
Before a dinner abroad or in Japan, review chopsticks and bowls, kanpai, Western cutlery and tipping — plus what to wear and a prep checklist.
Learn
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- Japanese Dining · 6 minUsing ChopsticksSome chopstick habits recall Japanese funeral rites, so they're worth learning before your first meal in Japan.Sign in to unlock
- Japanese Dining · 6 minThe Tray and BowlsIn Japan you lift small bowls toward your mouth — the opposite of what many Western tables expect.Sign in to unlock
- Japanese Dining · 5 minPouring and KanpaiAt Japanese dinners, people pour for each other rather than themselves, starting with the kanpai toast.Sign in to unlock
- Table Setting · 6 minCutlery and Its PlacementFor Western-style dinners anywhere, working from the outside in keeps a full place setting simple.Start
- At the Table · 6 minThe Flow of a MealThe basic flow of a sit-down meal, from being seated to leaving, carries across countries.Sign in to unlock
Read beforehand
- Chopstick TaboosLaying chopsticks across a bowl, stabbing food, passing food chopstick to chopstick: here are the chopstick taboos (kirai-bashi) to avoid in Japan, and the reasons behind them.
- Eating Sushi, Sashimi and TempuraA 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.
- Tatami Rooms and SeatingStep up into a tatami room facing forward and leave your shoes pointing out. Never step on the cushions, and know that the seat in front of the tokonoma is the seat of honor.
- Knife and Fork SignalsHow you place your knife and fork tells the server whether you’re still eating or finished.
- The Bill and Saying ThanksWhen you’re a guest, leave the bill to the host and thank them in specific words. How a meal ends is how it’s remembered.
- What to Wear to a Tatami RoomIn a Japanese tatami room you take off your shoes and sit low to the floor. Slip-on shoes, clean socks, clothes you can sit in and a light touch with fragrance are what matter most.
Check what to wear
Dress codeDepends on the venue or invitation
- It depends on the restaurant, the occasion and the country, so check the invitation or the restaurant's notice.
- When a dress code is unclear, ask the host or the restaurant, or dress one step more formal.
- In Japan, many traditional restaurants seat you on tatami: wear slip-on shoes and socks without holes.
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Restaurants for this occasion: 28
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