With its famously fresh fish, love of seasonal ingredients and enough Michelin stars to light up an entire city, Japan revels in its status as a nirvana for foodies. But although Japanese cuisine is among the best in the world, the trials and tribulations of consuming it without offending your host, fellow diners or even the souls of the deceased is not to be underestimated.
Eating in Japan can easily slip into a disorientating quagmire of rules and rituals for the uninitiated - from whose glass to fill (any apart from your own), whether to slurp (only when eating noodles) to what to tip (nothing) and whether to eat with your hands (large sushi rolls only).
Firstly, a pre-dinner sock check is recommended to make sure they match: in many traditional restaurants, guests are required to remove shoes before sitting at low tables on tatami mats.
Next, prepare for a quick clean-up. A white towel that is steaming hot or ice cold depending on the season will be presented to each guest in order to clean hands (as opposed to face, neck, or feet).
Japanese meals almost always consist of sharing multiple small dishes and it's often best to leave the selection to your host, particularly as many restaurants do not have menus in English.
For solo diners who find there are no English menus available or plastic food models in the window - a popular trend in many restaurants - it is advised to simply smile, point to the next table and say: "Onagi mono o kudasai" - roughly translated as "I'll have what they're having".
The most useful word to memorise in the world of Japanese dining and drinking accompanies raising a glass for a toast: "Kanpai!"
But the trickiest problem is yet to come - the dizzying world of how to use chopsticks. The number one rule is to always use the opposite (thicker) end when taking food from communal dishes; you should not use the end that you put into your mouth in communal bowls when helping yourself to food.
Attempting to stab, pierce or skewer food with chopsticks is a no-no: instead, it is best to break up larger pieces in the bowl before transporting to the mouth. Pointing, waving or crossing chopsticks is also frowned upon. Never stick chopsticks vertically into your bowl, particularly if it contains rice, as this is an action reserved for funerals. Passing food from chopstick to chopstick between guests has similarly morbid connotations and is not recommended if you are keen to avoid offending the souls of the deceased.
Slurping noodles, however, is positively encouraged and it is not considered rude to raise the bowl directly to your mouth to drink up the final remnants of the dish.
To obtain the bill at the meal's end, simply say "okanjo kudasai" before most commonly paying at the till at the restaurant's entrance.
Some more exclusive western hotel restaurants aside, tipping is never expected. If diners do insist on leaving some money on the table, they should not be surprised to find themselves being chased down the street by staff determined to return the "forgotten" money.
Japan is home to some of the best restaurants in the world, but despite the litany of rules, there is one final point to remember. Your Japanese hosts will be more surprised if you don't break these rules than if you do, so it's best to relax and tuck in.
travel@thenational.ae
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20profile%20
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Company%20profile
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5