箸 (Hashi) – Chopsticks

26th April – 卯月

Japan is the country where have the habit of using only chopsticks in the meal. There are many countries using chopsticks as well but they use spoons, forks as well at the same meal.

This is related to the food Japanese eat mainly – now there are more choice of food we can eat, but in the past, rice was the main food that Japanese eat. And this rice – which is stickier than the other species, made it easy to eat with chopsticks.

“If the kids cannot use chopsticks in a correct way, discipline from Parents are considered to be very bad” – this has handed down. Therefore, when kids become around 3years old, parents give training chopsticks and discipline them.

The correct way to use chopsticks is:

-support the top stick with thumb, index finger and middle finger.

-Put the bottom stick in the root of thumb, hold just like holding pencil.

-Hold one thirds of sticks and move the top stick up and down.

Many people use chopsticks crossed (バッテン箸, Batten Bashi), try not to do that way!

橋(Hashi=Bridge) connecting the one side to another,

梯子(Hashiro=Ladder) connecting up and bottom,

The word ‘Hashi’ relates to ‘connection’. Also 箸 (chopsticks) has been considered to connect people and god. Using chopsticks is believed to tell the appreciation to god.

Chopsticks can have various usage for eating food, not like spoon and folks which have one single usage. Chopsticks can: pinch, press, wrap, peel, cut and more!