You've been invited to a kaiseki dinner in Japan
Formal Japanese Dining
Before kaiseki in a tatami room: the seat of honor, chopsticks, bowls, fish and sashimi, and pouring — plus what to wear and a prep checklist.
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- Japanese Dining · 6 minTatami Rooms and KaisekiTaking off your shoes, sitting on cushions and the seat of honor all happen in the first minute.Sign in to unlock
- Japanese Dining · 6 minUsing ChopsticksA few chopstick habits are serious taboos in Japan; learn them, plus how to use serving chopsticks.Sign in to unlock
- Japanese Dining · 6 minThe Tray and BowlsTo know which bowls you may lift and how to open a lidded bowl without spills.Sign in to unlock
- Japanese Dining · 6 minFish, Sashimi and SushiGrilled fish and sashimi often appear in kaiseki; this shows how to eat them neatly.Sign in to unlock
- Japanese Dining · 5 minPouring and KanpaiIn Japan, people pour for each other — learn how to pour, receive and toast.Sign in to unlock
Read beforehand
- 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.
- Kaiseki Course OrderA kaiseki dinner usually starts with a small appetizer, moves through soup and grilled dishes, and ends with rice, miso soup and fruit. Here's how it flows, and how to use the oshibori towel.
- 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.
- Holding Bowls and LidsIn Japan, small bowls are picked up and brought close to your mouth. Use the bowl or kaishi paper instead of cupping your hand, and set a lid upside down to the right of the tray.
- Japanese Meal Tray LayoutRice at the front left, soup at the front right, side dishes behind. Here's how a traditional Japanese meal tray is arranged, which way the fish faces, and where the chopsticks go.
- Pouring and KanpaiPour bottled beer label up with both hands, and lift your glass when someone pours for you. Here's how high to hold your glass for kanpai, and how a memorial kenpai differs.
Check what to wear
Dress codeDepends on the venue or invitation
- How formal to dress depends on the occasion: business attire for a client dinner, semiformal for a family meeting.
- You'll take your shoes off, so choose slip-on shoes and socks without holes.
- You'll sit low to the floor, so wear clothes you can sit in comfortably.
- Japanese cuisine is about delicate aromas, so keep perfume and cologne light.
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