Do you know about table manners?

By Saki Mu

We actually don’t follow eating rules when we are eating at home or at casual restaurants as much as we do when we have formal dining nowadays. There used to be a time when people had to follow many kinds of rules when they had meals with people. These table manners differ from each region and culture. For example, Japanese use chopsticks when they eat their meals while Americans uses forks and knives. Moreover, I’ve found many interesting differences between Japanese and American table manners. Japan and America has difference in these points such as some phrases that we say before having meals, way of seating, making a toast, and some rules while people eat. There are more differences than the similarities because Japan and the US have different culture. Therefore, there are more differences than the similarities about table manners in Japan and America because of the different culture such as words before meal, seating, toasting, and some rules when we eat.

There are some similarities and differences between America and Japan when people begin the meals. When we eat meals, what should we say? Do you say something special when you begin eating? Americans would probably say “Let’s eat”, “Enjoy your meal”, or do prayer. Americans thank whoever cooked the meal or God. Americans will do the prayer before every dinner and thank God for the day and nice meal that they are having. However, in Japan, instead of prayers we say “Itadakimasu” when people begin the meal. Japanese people say “Itadakimasu” for whoever cooked the meal, but also for the life given up for making the meal. Japanese people thank everything, such as all the plants and animals’ life that we eat, the people who carry all the food around, and the person who cooks the meal. So “Itadakimasu” is not just saying “Let’s eat”

Moreover, I’ve found out another interesting point about American and Japanese table manners about seating. There are some similarities in the order of sitting down at the table. In America, usually father sits down at the head of the table and mother sits down on the opposite side, and children sit between them. This is the way of seating in Japan too. However, I found really interesting fact as I was researching US table manners. In old time America, if it was really formal dining, all the men had to stand up when the woman stood up from her seat. Whatever reason was, all the men had to stand up at their seat. When the woman came back, they had to stand up again and help her until she sat down. I think it’s because of women’s dress. The dress was heavier and it wasn’t easy to move around without any help. Women had a dress in Japan called Kimono, but Kimono was not heavier than the dress in America was.

There is a very interesting point about toasting rule in Japan and America, and it’s also a table manner. In both countries, the most honorable and oldest person makes a toast. When people make a toast, in America, they would say “Cheers!” and make a noise by hitting each other’s glasses. On the other hand, in Japan, it’s slightly different. When you make a toast in Japan, you would say “Kanpai!” which means the same as “Cheers!” However, Japanese people will not just hit the glass to the other one’s glass in Japan. If you are toasting with someone who is older than you, you have to put your glass slightly down and make sure the older person’s glass level is above yours. This means you are showing your respect to the older person.

If you compare America and Japanese table manners, you will find some similarities and differences in eating manners. There are many common rules, for example, you should not play with your utensils, should not talk with your mouth full, and should not make noises while eating. However, when you hear making noise is rude in both countries, you would probably think “Really? But Japanese people make noises when they eat noodles and soups!” This is right, and you will often see this scene a lot in Japan.

Making noise when you eat noodle habit started in Edo-period (1603~1868) in Japan. It is said that Japanese professional comic storyteller told the mass of people that making noise when you eat noodles is very stylish. After that, the common people started eating noodles with making noises because it was stylish. As I mentioned that it became popular to make noises among common people, this habit was not for the nobility people in the court. That’s why this habit still exists in Japan and some Japanese people thinks that without making noises when eating noodles, they cannot have enjoyable meals. On the other hand, in America, it is really rude to make noise when you eat or drink something. Japanese must be really careful when they come to United States and have noodles or pastas for their meal because making noise is really rude in America.

You will see many different table manners when you go to other countries, especially those countries which have different culture. I’ve noticed many differences in table manners such as the words before the meals, seating, toasting, and some rules when we have meals between Japan and America. Some Japanese tend to think Americans are not polite, but it is not true. Americans show their respect to others in different ways from Japanese. May be, Americans might think Japanese people are very rude because we make noises when we eat noodles or soup, but it is Japanese culture. We have to understand the differences if we want to understand better about other countries. I think the experiences in MFWI would make our mind more flexible by learning about not only American culture but also Japanese culture.