Japanese Dining Etiquette for First-Timers

Knowing a few Japanese dining customs can make a first visit more relaxed, but nobody expects you to get everything right. These are the ones worth knowing.

Before you eat

• Oshibori. In Japan you are often given a warm or cold towel before the meal. It is for your hands, not your face.
• "Itadakimasu" (いただきます) is said before eating. It roughly means "I humbly receive", a thank-you for the food.
• Order to share. Japanese meals are often shared: a few small dishes for the table, then sushi or sashimi, then something more filling.

Chopstick etiquette

• Don't stand chopsticks upright in rice. It looks like the incense sticks placed at a funeral.
• Don't pass food from chopsticks to chopsticks. This also echoes a funeral rite. Put the food on a plate instead.
• Don't point or wave with them. When you are not using them, rest them on the chopstick rest (hashioki) or across your plate.
• Use the other end for sharing. When taking food from a shared plate, some people turn their chopsticks around and use the clean ends.
• A fork is fine. If chopsticks are not for you, just ask. Enjoying the meal matters more than technique.

Soy sauce and wasabi

• Pour a little soy sauce at a time. Leaving a full dish can look wasteful.
• Dip sushi fish-side down so the rice does not soak up the soy and fall apart.
• Taste before adding wasabi. Many sushi chefs already put a little between the rice and the fish.
• Ginger is a palate cleanser. Eat a slice of pickled ginger between pieces, rather than on top of them.

Noodles and soup

• Slurping is fine. Slurping udon or soba cools the noodles and shows you are enjoying them.
• Lift the bowl. It is normal to lift a soup or rice bowl close to your mouth, and to drink miso soup straight from the bowl.

Drinks

• Pour for others. In Japan, people pour for each other rather than for themselves. Top up your companion's glass and they will return the favour.
• "Kanpai!" (乾杯) is the Japanese toast.

Trying it at Momo

A first dinner might start with edamame and agedashi tofu from the appetisers, then a plate of sashimi or nigiri to share, then noodles or a teriyaki dish. On a cold day, try hot udon or soba in soup; zaru udon and zaru soba are served cold.

At lunchtime, a set lunch is an easy way in. The Shokado Bento on the set lunch menu brings sashimi, nigiri, tempura and chicken teriyaki together, with rice, miso soup and dessert.

You can book a table online for up to 6 people. For 7 or more, call the restaurant on 0208 9970 206.