Chopsticks (in Japanese, hashi) are more than a simple utensil: they are part of the Japanese culinary experience.
Whether you're a sushi lover, a bento box user, or an amateur chef that want to master Asian cuisine, choosing the right chopsticks and using them properly is key.
This ultimate guide will help you find the right pair of chopsticks for each occasion.
How to choose the right chopsticks?
Chopsticks use is based on 3 criteria: their usage, their easy of use and your individual preferences. Let's see how these criteria will influence your choice in terms of material, length, shape, and type.
A wide array of materials to fit every style
If bamboo and wood are the most commonly used materials, chopsticks can be made of various materials that each have their own benefits.
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Bamboo Chopsticks: By far the most widespread and traditional, bamboo is a lightweight and durable material that makes grabbing food easy. Cooking chopsticks are a great example of this as they are long, lightweight and easy to manipulate.
- Lacquered Wooden Chopsticks: Elegant, long-lasting and soft to the touch, lacquered wooden chopsticks are ideal for everyday meals or when hosting.
- Plastic Chopsticks: widely used nowadays for their easy maintenance and their lightness, plastic chopsticks are available in a variety of colors. They are also good for children with training rings or for outdoor adventures.
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Porcelain Chopsticks: Less common, porcelain chopsticks are used in formal occasions or to decorate a table.
Varied Shape and Length Depending on the Usage
Chopsticks come in several lengths and shapes, which are all suited for different uses.
Table chopsticks, the most common ones, are generally between 18 and 23cm long. The ideal length depends on the size of your hands: if you have long fingers, go for chopsticks that are 20cm or longer.
Cooking Chopsticks, or saibashi in Japanese, are longer (30cm or above) and sometimes thicker than table chopsticks. They let you cook and move foods without burning yourself, in a frying pan or in a fryer.
Other chopsticks have been designed with the final user in mind, and are easier to manipulate thanks to their twisted shape that helps in grabbing food, while also preventing them from rolling on the table.
Kids' Chopsticks, a Fun Way to Learn
Learning how to use chopsticks can be hard, including for Japanese children. Training chopsticks are specifically designed with kids in mind and help them learn how to place their fingers properly by using rings, then indentations, so children can learn at their own pace to master this tradition utensil. Shorter (15cm), their are perfect for smaller hands and can be used from the age of 2.
How to Properly Use Chopsticks
When it comes to chopsticks, practice makes perfect; knowing how to place your fingers and the basic mechanics of chopsticks will help you master them in no time. The most important thing to remember, no matter if you are left- or right-handed, is that one chopstick stays in place while the other moves.
Put your first chopstick (the one that doesn't move) between your thumb and index finger, like you would with a pencil but a bit looser: the bottom of the chopstick should be resting on the base of your thumb and on your middle finger. Place the second chopstick between your index and thumb, exactly like a pen. That chopstick will be the one moving to pick foods, using the movements of your index and middle finger so your chopsticks act as tongs.
Do's and Don'ts of Chopsticks in Japan
Everywhere in the world, table manners are important. And in Japan, chopsticks are part of the equation: Japanese etiquettes dictates that chopsticks should only be used to grab or cut foods.
To avoid being rude during your trip in Japan, make sure to not do the following things:
- Playing with your chopsticks.
- Licking your chopsticks.
- Pointing with your chopsticks, whether at someone or something.
- Stabbing food with a chopstick.
- Putting your chopsticks upright into your rice bowl (it's a gesture made during Buddhist funerals).
- Passing food from chopsticks to chopsticks (it's a gesture made during Buddhist funerals).
- Pulling a dish towards you using your chopsticks.
- Putting your chopsticks down carelessly: when you are done eating, always put them parallel to each other either a chopsticks rest (hashioki), or on the side of your plate/bowl.
