Don't stick chopsticks upright in rice
Vertical chopsticks in a bowl of rice resemble incense offered to the dead at funerals. It's a deeply uncomfortable image for many Japanese people.
Do's
- Lay chopsticks across the rim of your bowl when pausing
- Use the chopstick rest (hashioki) if one is provided
Don'ts
- Don't stand chopsticks vertically in rice—ever
- Don't stab food with chopsticks
Tips
This is one of the few chopstick rules that genuinely matters to almost everyone.