Japanese restaurants are sprouting up in virtually every street and corner of the globe—thanks to the rising popularity of sushi. Despite so, there is a lack of knowledge when it comes to sushi etiquette, with the most common mistake being dunking the rice straight into the shoyu.
Sushi-making is an art of its own and sushi masters take years, if not decades, to be truly qualified. The dedication to this form of art is respectable, to say the least; so let’s just also try to appreciate sushi the best we can and with respect as much as possible for both the delicacy and the chefs.
To get you started, here are 7 Sushi Taboos You Need To Know Before Having Sushi in Japan.
#1 AVOID EXCLAIMING HOW FRESH THE FISH IS
Sushi is considered a staple in Japanese cuisine and it is unquestionable that passionate chefs dedicate their entire lifetimes on honing their trade. Fresh sashimi is a given; customers should avoid passing remarks on its freshness, especially when they are dining at an established restaurant.
#2 NEVER DIP THE SUSHI RICE INTO SHOYU
Never dip the rice into shoyu or you would be left with a crumbling mess. Instead, diners are supposed to hold the sushi sideways and dip the fish lightly into the sauce to enhance its flavours.
For sushi dishes that come with their own sauce, there is no need to add additional condiments!
The chefs would usually hint to you subtly that no sauce is required and you are to just pop the sushi into your mouth as it is.
#3 REST THE CHOPSTICKS PROPERLY
Should you be dining at a sushi bar, do make it a point to rest your chopsticks properly when not using them. The correct etiquette would be to keep the chopsticks parallel to the rim of the bar and not put them on a plate.
#4 USE CHOPSTICKS RESPECTFULLY
Never pass food from your chopsticks to someone else’s chopsticks because that act itself resembles a Japanese funeral ritual. This way of passing food is not only regarded as inauspicious but is also considered extremely rude.
#5 FINISH IN ONE BITE IF POSSIBLE
When presented with nigiri-style sushi, guests are expected to finish the entire sushi in just one bite. Note that this is more of a practice in Japan’s traditional sushi restaurants as western cities tend to prepare their sushi in way larger portions.
#6 DO NOT ASK FOR A CALIFORNIA ROLL
California Rolls are especially popular in the United States but it is important to know that this sushi creation did not originate from Japan. After all, California Rolls were created in an attempt to convince the Westerners to give sushi a shot.
So please, do not ever ask for a California Roll when you are eating at a local sushi eatery in Japan!
#7 DO NOT EAT SUSHI WITH GARI
Gari—a sweet, pickled ginger—acts as a palate cleanser and it is not meant to be eaten together with a piece of sushi. It is intended to be consumed between different types of sushi to maximise one’s dining experience.