The document provides tips for ordering sushi etiquette in Japan. It recommends being polite by not shoveling sushi in one bite, using chopsticks properly instead of hands or forks, and not leaving rice grains on the plate. Additional etiquette includes not sticking chopsticks upright, using the wider end of chopsticks to share rolls, and mixing wasabi into soy sauce. The document describes common types of sushi like nigiri, norimaki, and temaki. Popular fillings include tuna, salmon, sea urchin and blowfish (if prepared by a special chef). It recommends asking for recommendations from the waiter and suggests saying "omakase" to let the chef choose
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How To Order Sushi In Japan
1. How To Order Sushi In Japan
Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan!
What will you see? What will you do? I'm sure there are many choices, but one thing is for sure,
you will need to eat.
It would be a sin to be in Japan and not eat sushi, so I know that is on your list right? Nice! I am
sure it will be the best sushi you ever had. What's that? You need some help ordering sushi
in Japanese?
Let's grab some sushi together now and I will walk you through the top sushi restaurants'
etiquette in Tokyo ato have you eating sushi like a pro.
How To Order Sushi In Japan
2. When it comes to sushi etiquette, the first thing to keep in mind is manners! Before we even
order you must know how to be polite when eating your sushi. The easiest way to have a bad
experience is to upset or be disrespectful to the sushi chef, who (in many sushi restaurants, at
least) can see you from the kitchen.
Be sure to keep these in mind:
1. Shovel that sushi down all in one bite! Don't try to nibble at it. If it's too big, two bites are
acceptable but be sure to hold the remaining bite in your chopsticks. Don't put it down on
your plate.
2. If you are not a chopstick pro, either learn quick or just use your hands. It's a bit rude to
use a fork and knife. (What is this? A steakhouse!?)
3. Not hungry anymore? Oh well, it's rude to leave grains of rice on your plate. Eat up.
4. Don't dare stick your chopsticks upright in rice. This is something done at a funeral. Don't
make this faux pas and be sure to lay your sticks in front of you on the holder and parallel
with the bar.
5. Should we be sharing many rolls at the table be sure to turn your chopsticks around and
use the larger ends to pick the piece off the community plate. It's kind of gross to use the
part that touches your mouth on the plate everyone is using.
6. Mix your wasabi in with the soy sauce to your liking. This creates a good mixture for
you, and shows the staff that it's not your first time.
Alright, so now that you know how to be proper at the table let's order, I'm starving! What are
you in the mood for? Here are some choices, hurry up... I'm about to eat my arm!
Types of Sushi In Japan
Nori- Seaweed
Nigiri Sushi- This is a rice ball topped with a piece of fish. Sometimes there is
some wasabi underneath the fish.
Norimaki- Rice and seafood rolled in seaweed. There are hundreds of varieties of sushi. Some
big, some small.
Temaki- This is a seaweed cone filled with seafood, vegetables and rice.
Sashimi- slices of raw fish.
3. Sushi Fillings In Japan
Maguro- tuna
Buri- yellowtail
Hirame- halibut
Hotatagai- scallops
Kurodai- snapper
Sake- salmon
Nijimasu- rainbow trout
Shako- mantis shrimp
Tobiko- flying fish roe
4. Uni- sea urchin roe
Fugu- blowfish (dangerously good! Only special chefs can make this because there is a poison
that must be properly removed)
Have you made up your mind? Perhaps you would like to ask the waiter for a recommendation?
Just say:
Osusume no ryouri wa nan desu ka? (Can you recommend some dishes?)
You are taking too long... You can always come back and eat sushi another day. How about we
don't worry about what we want and have the chef decide. Excuse me waiter! Omakase! (Chef's
choice of sushi.)
I hope wasabi is OK for you, I love it! If not, you can just say Sabinuki (No wasabi, please.)
Wow, this looks amazing! Before we eat, it's polite to say: "Itadakimasu!"
When we're done, we will say: ”Gochisousama deshita!"
Don't forget to eat those pieces of rice on your plate... That was so delicious (oishii)! The chef
chose well, but I think we might have to come back tomorrow and ask what their specials are.
(Kyō no supesharu wa nan desu ka. - What is today's special?). I am sure we could try
something new everyday for at least a week! However, for now, I am full and I think I need a
nap.
Sayōnara!
How to order sushi
If you're at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, you won't have to do much ordering. There will
likely be paper and a pencil at your table that allows you to mark certain rolls you'd like to try.
But other than that, you can just take plates off the belt as they come around, based on what
looks good to you.
At more formal restaurants, a server will walk you through the sushi bar menu if you have
questions. There will be pictures -- at least of the most popular rolls -- so even if you don't speak
fluent Japanese, you'll be able to identify familiar rolls.
When you enter any Japanese restaurant, the typical practice is to greet the first employee you
see, and acknowledge others as you pass by them or they approach you.
Ideally, you'll be able to have a seat at the actual sushi bar to watch the action right in front of
you. If you have a large party, reservations are recommended. If it's just you and your partner, a
walk-in should be fine.
5. If you order soup at any Japanese restaurant, do not ask for a spoon if one isn't given to you
automatically. In this instance, you should drink the soup out of the bowl.
Don't pass pieces of sushi, or any other food, to another person at your table with chopsticks.
Pass them the plate and allow them to grab it themselves.
A typical drink to accompany sushi is green tea, sake, or Japanese beer.
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