A Taste of Japan: Food Etiquette

Japan, also known as "Land of the Rising Sun", is a beautiful and diverse island in East Asia. In Japan, everything is smaller, but in larger quantities. Japan mixes both traditional and modern ways into their culture, where a visitor can experience the night life in Tokyo or have a traditional tea ceremony in the geisha district Gion. Japan's culture combines influences from Asia, America, and Europe, making it very accessible for visitors to relate with. Traditional ways of Japan include: origami, dance performances(kabuki), tea ceremonies, Budo, swords, sumo (Japanese wrestling), and flower arranging ceremonies. Some moderns ways of Japanese culture include: Manga (Japanese comic book), video games, Anime (Japanese animation), night clubs, vending machines, and karaoke. With food, Japan varies in every region of its island, from many different types of seafood, meat, noodles, vegetables, and fruits. Foods can be boiled, steamed, deep-fried, or raw. Japanese culture also has many dining rules such as using a hot towel before eating, using chopsticks with your right hand when eating rice, using a separate dish for soy sauce, and always being very appreciative to the people who invited you over or to servers in a restaurant. One final rule not to be taken lightly is to not be a picky eater and eat every grain of rice in your bowl to show gratitude.

sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_cuisine