How to Use Chopsticks - Chapter 8: The Importance of Chopsticks – Japanese Folklore, Ritual, and Food Culture

Chapter 8: The Importance of Chopsticks – Japanese Folklore, Ritual, and Food Culture


The Japanese have an endless fascination for food that is also endlessly fascinating to watch. From street cakes shaped like cartoon characters to fine dining plating that can only be called art, there is a certain regard and respect for their creations that is markedly Japanese. They have a clear appreciation for subtle flavors, delicate balance, and beauty. They hold to traditions without barring the future, an attitude made even more obvious by their continued use of the chopsticks despite opening their doors to the world and to the ways of the West.

 The Japanese may open themselves up to learning how to prepare a béchamel sauce and serve Napolitana pasta in their cafes, but they expect guests to eat them with chopsticks, to take the time to learn these difficult utensils. I would bet that this quiet insistence is something that only feels natural to the Japanese. They would never forsake the chopsticks, what with all its history and cultural importance; it’s a whole lot more than just a pair of kitchen utensils to eat with.

The Japanese word for a pair of chopsticks is hashi which translates to bridge which is very meaningful once you learn more about these deceptively simple eating utensils.
As the story goes in Japanese folklore, offering a pair of chopsticks to the kami – spirits that are worshipped in the Shinto religion – allows them to inhabit the chopsticks and to dine with humans. These chopsticks are specially made for this offering and are usually of willow wood, considered lucky by the Japanese.
In modern Japanese culture, there are still signs of this belief – special chopsticks made of willow are often used in special events such as weddings, festivals, and feasts to bless the ceremonies. In this context, chopsticks can act as a bridge between us humans and the gods.

Chopsticks are also important in Japanese funeral rites, the main reason why it is considered terribly rude to stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice or any bowl for that matter and when you pass food from one pair of chopsticks to another. The vertical chopsticks bear too close a resemblance to the customary incense that is offered in Buddhist funerals which is placed upon an altar by the departed’s family. Passing food from one pair of chopsticks to another is also too much like a Japanese funeral ritual where bones of the departed is passed in a similar manner among guests and family.

There is a lot of history behind a simple pair of chopsticks. By learning how to use them properly and by understanding the underlying stories behind the etiquette of proper chopsticks handling, you are becoming part of that history. You are dining in the same way that 8th century Japanese dined. More than just an act of eating, using chopsticks can easily become an art.

This is an excerpt from the book:How to Use Chopsticks