CHOPSTICKS

( HASHI )

Now in the world, it is said that approximately 30% of the people use chopsticks,
also 30% of the people use knives and forks,
and the other 40% of the people eat by hands.
Of course depending on the country or the person the custom is different,
but generaly in East Asia, people use chopsticks because they eat sticky rice.

It is a well-known story that Louis XIV in France ate by using his hands.
At that time some nobles gradually started to use forks and spoons,
but it appears that before the 18^th century generally
a roasted chunk of meat was carved for dinners and they had to eat with their hands

Anyway when human beings started to use fire to cook foods,
they needed tools to stick or pinch or scoop
to get foods from the fire or to eat hot foods.

Chopsticks have an extremely long history compared with other utensils.
As we have various views about the real origin or history of chopsticks,
it is difficult to know about them.
In China bronze chopsticks were discovered from
excavations of old capital during BC14-BC11.
They are the oldest existing chopstics so far and they were probably
not tools to eat but used for formal ceremony.


In Japan, there are several opinions about the origin of chopsticks.
Some say that chopsticks were introduced from China in the middle of the 6^th century
and others say that they were introduced early in the 7^th century.
Anyway in the early Nara period (710-784) people started to use chopstics
in daily life and changed the way of eating.

Now Japanese usually use shorter chopsticks than the ones used by the Chinese.
Chopsticks are commonly made of light but strong materials
like wood, bamboo or plastic in Japan
They have many functions.
Japanese use them sometimes like forks or knives.

In many resturants, disposable chopsticks or waribashi are provided.
However these have to be splits apart before they are used.
They are made of bamboo, Japanese willow or thinned-out timber
and are not encased in lacquered or decorated.
Do not smooth disposable chopsticks by rubbing them against each other.

If you find that both sides of the chopsticks are tapered,
and put in a beautiful paper bag,
this is called"Iwai-bashi "
These are usualy used during happy occasions.


Long chopstics are called Saibashi, and are used for cooking.

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There is rough correlation between height and hand-size.


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***** HOW TO OPERATE CHOPSTICKS *****

THE RIGHT WAY TO HOLD CHOPSTICKS

�@ hold the upper stick in one hand as a pencil is held	�A　 the lower stick is supported by the ball of the thumb and the ring finger

***** TABOOS *****

Tate-bashi
Don't stab your chopsticks into the rice in the bowl
(It reminds us of the way we serve rice to a deceased person)



Yose-bashi
(put your mouse on this picture)
Don't draw a dish up toward you by using chopsticks
( This is considered risky)




yubisashi-bashi
Don't point at anything with chopsticks while eating




Sashi-bashi
Don't stab food with chopsticks




Mogi-bashi
Don't pick something away from the chopstics using your mouth
when you want to remove something
on the chopstics


Neburi-bashi
Don't lick the end of chopsticks.

Hashi-watashi
Don't give and receive food from chopsticks to chopsticks
(to pick one thing with two pair of chopsticks is
how ash is picked up in a cerematory)


Saguri-bashi
Don't stir and check the ingredient of soup in a bowl




Tataki-bashi
(Put your mouse on this picture)

Don't call a waiter or waitress by knocking on the table with chopsticks


Utsuri-bashi
Don't eat only dishes.
Eat staple food, too


Komi-bashi
Don't force food into the back of your mouth with chopsticks


Furi-bashi
Don't stir soup or anything else with chopstics


Namida bashi
Don't let soup or sauce drip down from the tip
of your chopstics




Mochi-bashi
Don't take a dish by hand while holding chopstics



koji-bashi
Don't pick out your favorite piece from a pile of food


uke-bashi
Don't ask for another dish while holding chopstics


kaki-bashi
Don't use your chopsticks to shovel food into your mouth from a bowl.




kuwae-bashi
Don't hand someone a dish while mouthing chopstics




watashi-bashi
Don't put your chopstics on the bowl like a bridge
before you are finished eating..
This means " I don't want any more "



etc.


HOWEVER, don't worry !
Please enjoy Japanese food with chopsticks.