Japan

Japanese

By Isla S and Zoë L

Japanese the language • Japanese is the official language of Japan.

• In the native tongue, it’s called ‘Nihongo’.

• Japan uses three writing systems which are Hiragana, Kanji and Katakana.

• There are no plurals or articles in Japanese. You can make sentences using only verbs • 130 million people speak Japanese.

こんにちは Kon'nichiwa is hello in Japanese

Japanese Food • A lot of raw food is used in Japanese cuisine. We’re sure you already knew that the fish served with sushi is raw.

• Dried sardines and almonds are often consumed as snacks in most parts of Japan.

• The quality of ‘sashimi’, or the very thinly sliced raw fish which is served with sushi, is never ever compromised in an authentic Japanese restaurant. In some cases, the fish is kept alive in water, and sliced and served only on ordering!

• Talking about sashimi, a sushi chef needs to be extremely careful when slicing the raw fish. In fact, a professional chef’s knife is sharpened every day so it can slice fish so finely.

• A typical Japanese meal consists of rice, served with meat, fish or vegetables. Pickles and soup also form part of a traditional Japanese meal.

• It is considered good manners to slurp noodles in soup like Ramen.

• Miso soup is very good for digestion and hence, should be eaten at the beginning of the meal; and not at the end.

• In most Japanese restaurants, moist towels are presented before food.

This is to wipe hands beforehand. However, one should remember that the towels are to be used only to clean hands and not the face or any other part of the body.

Japanese Culture • Chopsticks - Good table manners are highly regarded in Japanese culture and correctly using chopsticks is an important part of polite dining. So when using chopsticks in Japan, don’t stab or cut your food with them.

Instead, you should lift the food as it is to your mouth. Don’t point at something with your chopsticks, as this is rude in Japanese culture.

Meanwhile, you should never leave your chopsticks sticking upright in a bowl of rice, as this is associated with funeral customs. Instead, place them on the chopstick rest in between bites or when you finish eating.

• Bowing - Bowing (known as ojigi) is the traditional form of greeting in Japan. However, bowing can also be used to indicate gratitude, congratulations, or an apology. In casual daily situations, a bow is often a simple nod of the head. Meanwhile, a longer and deeper bow is more respectful and can signify a formal apology or sincere thanks.

Don’t worry if you’re just visiting – it’s completely acceptable for foreigners to shake hands in Japan.

• Slurping Noodles - There are lots of interesting dining traditions in Japan, but slurping noodles has to be one of the most fun. When Japanese diners slurp their noodles, it’s seen as both a sign of enjoyment and a compliment to the chef.

• Masks - When you suffer from a cold or hay fever in Japan, it’s polite to wear a mask. Japanese people also avoid blowing their noses in public, as it’s seen as rude.

• Clothing - The kimono, literally meaning ‘thing to wear’ is a traditional Japanese garment and national dress of Japan. It is usually a full length T-shaped robe with straight lines. It’s worn so that the hem falls at the ankle and has collars and wide, long sleeves. The kimono wraps around the body, with the left side on top of the right (except when dressing for a burial), and is secured with an obi (sash) tied at the back. With a kimono, one wears traditional Japanese footwear (geta or zori) and split toe socks called tabi.

Thank you for reading!

We hope you learned something new