Can you use chopsticks properly? Although many people know how to use chopsticks, surprisingly few of them know the manners for using them. What to do and what not to do when using chopsticks are table manners in Japan, which are said to have been established in the Edo era. From basic usage to the manners that you should be aware of, let's check how many of them you already know.

How to use disposable chopsticks
Remove the chopsticks from the wrapper sideways over your lap and never over the table. Break them in two with the chopstick on the lower side firmly held in your left hand. Split them horizontally one above the other, as breaking them vertically sideways may be unpleasant to people sitting next to you. Rubbing the chopsticks together is also a no-no.

How to lift chopsticks
1. Hold the chopsticks at a point slightly to the right of center using the thumb, index and middle fingers of your right hand.

2. Put your left hand underneath the chopsticks.

3. Glide your right hand underneath the chopsticks from the right side.

4. Hold the chopsticks with your right hand properly and release your left hand.

How to hold chopsticks properly
Hold the chopsticks at a point slightly above center and hold the upper chopstick lightly with your index finger and the first joint of the middle finger (in the same manner as holding a pencil).

Support the lower chopstick at the base of the thumb and the first joint of the middle finger.

When eating, do not move the lower chopstick but only move the upper chopstick to hold the food.
 
How to put down and put away chopsticks
Hold the center of the chopsticks in your left hand and hold the edge of the chopsticks with your right hand again to put them down onto the chopstick rest. Do not put the chopsticks directly on the table.

When there is no chopstick rest, fold the chopstick wrapper into a "fumimusubi (a single knot)" or "yamagata (a mountain shape)" and use it instead. When you finish eating, fold the edge of the wrapper before putting the chopsticks back so that it is easy to see that the chopsticks were used.

No-nos when using chopsticks　

・Utsuri-bashi
Moving chopsticks to another dish after floating them over one dish without actually taking any food.

・Sashi-bashi
Holding food by poking chopsticks into it.

・Yose-bashi
Dragging or pushing plates or bowls using chopsticks.

・Neburi-bashi
Licking chopsticks.

・Hashi-watashi
Passing food onto another's chopsticks directly from your chopsticks.

・Futari-bashi
Two people putting chopsticks on the same plate at the same time.

・Mayoi-bashi
Hovering chopsticks over food while deciding what to pick.

・Mochi-bashi
Holding a plate or a bowl with a hand that is already holding chopsticks.

・Kaki-bashi
Shoveling food directly from a plate into your mouth using chopsticks.

・Sora-bashi
Withdrawing chopsticks without picking food after touching it.

・Saguri-bashi
Picking through food in a bowl or a plate with chopsticks in search of a particular morsel.

・Tataki-bashi
Hitting plates or bowls with chopsticks.

・Sashi-bashi
Pointing at somebody or something with chopsticks during a meal.

・Furi-bashi
Shaking off food stuck to the tip of chopsticks.

・Tate-bashi
Sticking chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice.

・Kami-bashi
Biting the tips of chopsticks.

・Jika-bashi
Serving a portion of food on a plate using your own chopsticks instead of serving chopsticks. This is bad manners in Japan.

The need to attend a funeral inevitably comes along, whether for a family member of your boss, a colleague or someone from a company that you have business dealings with. While you may consider such occasions daunting, you should nevertheless be aware of the proper etiquette for such events, in order to avoid confusion and possible embarrassment. The following are brief descriptions of wakes and funeral services.

Tsuya (wake)

A "tsuya" is a ceremony for the family of the deceased, as well as people who were close friends and associates, to remain in attendance with the deceased. A wake service is an occasion to mourn the loss by reminiscing about the life of the deceased and to pray for their return. It is considered good manners to wear dark and plain-colored clothing to a wake, such as dark blue or grey, as this gives the impression that you made haste in getting to the wake service to pay your respects, rather than spending your time arranging black funeral clothing.

A wake typically begins as the Buddhist priest makes his entry and those in attendance take their seats. As the sutra is recited, the chief mourner, followed by the relatives, offer incense. Other attendees then repeat the ritual. Here is how to offer incense:

(1) First, bow to the family of the deceased then proceed to the incense table. Bow again to the picture of the deceased. After praying with your palms pressed together, take an incense stick with your right hand and light it.

(2) Flap the flame with your left hand or pull your right hand downward quickly while holding the incense to extinguish the flame. Never blow out the flame as this is considered impure.

(3) Insert the stick into the incense burner.

(4) Offer a prayer for the soul of the deceased with your palms pressed together while facing toward the picture. Take two or three steps backward and bow to the family before going back to your seat.

The priest exits after the sutra reading and the incense offerings are finished. The wake ends with a speech by the chief mourner. A wake reception is held after the ceremony and a light meal and drinks are offered to visitors and attendants.

Sougi and Kokubetsushiki (funeral)

A "sougi" is a ceremony for the family and the people that were closest to the deceased to pray for the soul of the deceased, while a "kokubetsushiki" is a ceremony for anyone who was associated with the deceased to say their final goodbyes.

Men should wear dark-colored suits with matching tops and bottoms. Neckties must be black. If the suit is clearly not black, a black mourning band should be attached. Women should wear black, one-piece dresses or suits that do not expose too much skin. White pearl necklaces, suggestive of teardrops, may be worn as accessories.

A sougi or kokubetsushiki typically begins with visitors offering condolence money at the reception table and signing their names in a registry book. As the sutra is being recited, the relatives, followed by the visitors, offer incense. Here is how to offer incense:

Incense offering etiquette

The most popular incense offering at a kokubetsushiki uses incense powder, often done while standing up.

(1) Bow to the bereaved family and proceed to the incense table. Facing toward the picture of the deceased, bow briefly once.

(2) Pinch some incense with your thumb, index finger and the middle finger on your right hand. Lower your head slightly and bring the incense up to eye level.

(3) From there, place your fingers over the incense burner and gently sprinkle the powder down onto it.

(4) Take one step back and offer a prayer for the soul of the deceased with your palms pressed together. Bow deeply once where you stand, then turn to the family and bow again.

The priest exits when the incense offerings are finished. The ceremony ends with a speech by the chief mourner and the casket is prepared for the funeral procession.

Funeral procession

After the kokubetsushiki, the lid of the casket is opened to offer a last viewing opportunity. The lid is then replaced and the casket is sealed with nails before being loaded onto a hearse. Just as the hearse begins to drive away, remember to politely bow and offer a prayer for the deceased with your palms pressed together one more time.

In Japan, people often send gifts to each other in the summer and at the end of the year. You may also see a number of gifts being delivered to your office during those particular periods. These gifts are called "o-chugen" and "o-seibo," which refer to presents that you give to people in appreciation of the help and kindness they show you during the year. This may include your parents, relatives, go-betweens or your boss and the gifts are an expression of gratitude.

Originally, the custom of "o-chugen" is said to have been brought from ancient China. There are three "gen" days every year to give offerings to the gods and to purify your body. They are "jogen" on January 15, "chugen" on July 15 and "kagen" on December 15. Among them, "chugen" happens to coincide with the traditional Japanese custom of making offerings to one's ancestors and exchanging gifts and the new custom of giving summer gifts was born as "o-chugen." The season for "o-chugen" is from early to mid-July in the Kanto region and from early to mid-August in the Kansai region, although there are some fluctuations in timing in each region.

Meanwhile, "o-seibo" literally means the end of the year and it used to be called "seibo-no-rei (a courtesy at the end of the year)," which was the seasonal custom of married daughters visiting their parents or extended families visiting the head of their family with offerings to welcome the spirits of their ancestors on New Year's day. This practice later became the annual custom of "seibo-mawari (a round of visits at the end of the year)," in which people would pay a visit to those who helped them during the year to express their gratitude. These days, the word "o-seibo" refers to the gift that you give to those people at the end of the year to express your appreciation of their help. The "o-seibo" season is from early to late-December in the Kanto region and from mid to late-December in the Kansai region, although, just like the "o-chugen" season, there are some fluctuations depending on the region.

Generally speaking, "o-chugen" and "o-seibo" gifts consist mainly of food or daily commodities such as beer, canned food, dried seaweed, sweets or seasonings. Meanwhile, footwear, which can imply "trampling" or watches and writing utensils that may suggest the "encouraging of diligence," are not considered appropriate as gifts for one's elders and not just in the case of "o-chugen" or "o-seibo." The best gifts are something that simply pleases the receiver.

Since the tradition originally started as gifts for those who provided you with help and support or for business partners, it is not necessary to reciprocate if you receive one. It is considered polite, however, to express your thanks by phone or in a letter as soon as possible after you receive the gift.

Thus, there is a certain set of manners for "o-chugen" and "o-seibo." The most important thing to remember is that they are gifts that express gratitude. Why not try giving "o-chugen" and "o-seibo" to those who extended their help and support to you this year?

"Ho-Ren-So," the abbreviation for Hokoku (Reporting), Renraku (Communication) and Sodan (Consulting), is supposed to form the basis of business communication in Japan. It would not be too much to say that this is the first thing that everybody learns when entering the workforce in Japan. The importance of "Ho-Ren-So" is often taught in business manner seminars for people from abroad working in Japan, although some might mistake the word for the vegetable "horenso (spinach)" when they hear it for the first time. Even after actually learning the concept of "Ho-Ren-So," many may still wonder why "Ho-Ren-So" is even necessary. 

Let us talk about the significance of "Ho-Ren-So" as it is generally understood in Japan. The concept of "a successful business is built on teamwork" generally prevails in Japanese offices. As a result of this, actions such as delays in reporting, failing to communicate or making decisions without first consulting with others are thought to damage teamwork and result in major failures.

In particular, reporting to superiors is considered to be an important duty, as you are expected to report on the progress of your work, alterations to plans and final results in a timely manner. Whenever you have concerns or difficulties during the process of work, you should not fail to consult with your superior.

It is felt that engaging in frequent communication enables you to share information with other employees, which further strengthens the feeling of camaraderie among the staff, while raising awareness about work at the same time. This is generally considered to be the significance of "Ho-Ren-So" in Japan.        

It is true, however, that a number of white-collar workers from abroad have doubts about this concept. Indeed, even among young Japanese office workers, the concept of "Ho-Ren-So" is not necessarily openly accepted these days.

"World Business Satellite," a news program broadcast by TV Tokyo, once focused on individuals from abroad who were opposed to the concept of "Ho-Ren-So" and the disadvantages of the concept as they saw them were introduced. According to these opinions, following the concept of "Ho-Ren-So" excessively would lower an individual's motivation and productivity, eventually blurring responsibilities.

Many people feel that what is important is the result and do not understand the need to follow the "Ho-Ren-So" code for all processes in detail before achieving the result. As they feel as if they are not being trusted, their motivation can never be increased. Some people also point out that Japanese corporations spend too much time on "Ho-Ren-So," which lowers productivity as a result, while they would be better off spending more time on activities that would gain actual results, such as visiting clients. Despite the fact that they are supposed to have the authority to carry out certain duties, their sense of achievement for what they have accomplished is diminished by having to fulfill the responsibility of "Ho-Ren-So" and the sense of responsibility for the work itself is also lost as a result.

"Ho-Ren-So" may be a business style that symbolizes Japanese culture, in which great importance is placed on cooperation within a group. This might be a major case of culture shock to people from abroad working in Japan. Indeed, excessive "Ho-Ren-So" does possibly lead to such problems as mentioned above and accordingly Japanese companies should make efforts to address the negative side of "Ho-Ren-So."

In the meanwhile, as adequate "Ho-Ren-So" generates a dynamic force to lead a business to success, why not pay attention to the positive side of the concept and take advantage of it to improve the quality of your work?