Using Chopsticks is a part of Japanese culture.
As a tool, it is not easy to use Chopsticks, even for Japanese. Let’s talk about Chopsticks!
What is Japanese Chopsticks?
Chopsticks (“はし” in Japanese), a pair of stick utensil, was invented in China a few thousand years ago (long long time ago..). Then they were expanded into Asian countries, including Japan.
In general, Chopsticks are held by fingers of the dominant hand. In Japan, it’s unique situation where most of Japanese’s dominant hand is right!! So, many Japanese people throw a boll by right hand, and use Chopsticks by right hand.
In Japan, most of Chopsticks are made of woods, plastic.
Lacquered wooden chopsticks are more popular in Japan, called as Nuribashi (ぬりばし). Expensive one is lacquered by hands of professional person, and the price of is depends on where they are made and what types of lacquers are used.
General chopsticks are, as you might know, if you go to grocery store and buy something lunch box in Japan, you always receive disposable wood chopsticks like that you receive it when you go to Japanese restaurant to have lunch or dinner.
How to use Chopsticks
Do you like using chopsticks? Can you pick up “a bean” nicely by using chopsticks?
If you like using it, I suppose you are good at using chopsticks now, and no stress to eat anything by chopsticks.
If you really hate chopsticks, I assume you had very very bad experience in the past (and still going on..).
Don’t worry about not using chopsticks well !!
To my most updated knowledge (as one of Japanese), these days, ordinal restaurants in Japan prepare not only chopsticks but fork & spoon in every tables.
Current trend is that some of young Japanese prefer to use fork & spoon. Because they like westernized foods, and are not good at using chopsticks well.
So it’s not shame for you to chose fork & spoon, rather than chopsticks in Japanese restaurant.
As mentioned, actually happing in Japan now days, many of Japanese (especially new generation) can’t use chopsticks efficiently because there has became less opportunity to eat Japanese foods due to its westernized. This connects the change of food culture in Japan.
Each Japanese acquire and get used to using chopsticks by being taught by their parent when they were child, however the essential matter is that parents can’t teach correctly how to use chopsticks recently. The wrong way of using chopsticks gives their hand and fingers some pains, so they get stressed to use it, then give up using it after all.
Do you want to be a Chopstick master?
Anyway, do you want to be better “Chopstick master”?
Sure, please let me introduce you the following official video about ” how to use Chopsticks” created by Japanese Food Culture Examination institution.
This looks like the old type of Japanese culture video, but I believe this teaches you an authentic right way for using Chopsticks. This video is also beneficial for those who wants to learn Japanese food culture correctly.
This is HP link of this institution and examination. Sorry, it seems it is only by Japanese.
Washokukentei HP
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