JAPAN IN
ONE MINUTE 
~ Neither Fork Nor Spoon: The Unique World of Japanese Chopsticks ~
Alright! It’s lunchtime!
Pecco, could you go get the chopsticks?
Sure! But… why do you and Almis always use chopsticks, Issy?
I’ve never used them before but are they really that useful?
Yeah, I guess they are convenient… but to be honest, I’ve been using them since I was a kid,
so I never really thought about whether they’re convenient or not. It’s just normal for me.
In Japan, while forks and spoons are used, chopsticks are by far the most common utensils.
They are usually made of wood, bamboo, or plastic, and are about 20 to 25 centimeters long.
You use a pair of sticks, each the same length, to pick up food.
Using chopsticks takes some practice at first, doesn’t it?
To use them, you hold one stick like a pencil between your thumb and index finger, resting it on your middle finger.
The second stick stays mostly still and is supported by your thumb and ring finger.
By moving the top stick, you can gently pinch and lift food.
When I tried using chopsticks for the first time, I dropped more food than I ate!
But now, I can’t imagine eating sushi or ramen with a fork. It actually feels more natural for Japanese food.
How do you eat slippery noodles with two sticks?! That’s magic!
Oh, and there’s a huge variety of chopsticks in Japan.
You can find beautifully decorated ones, some with your favorite characters, and even ones made of lacquer or metal.
There are also different sizes for men, women, and children.
There’s also something called a “hashioki”, or chopstick rest.
“Hashi” means chopsticks and “oki” means rest or placement.
Hashioki (chopstick rest)
In slightly fancier restaurants,
you’ll often see chopsticks placed on one of these instead of directly on the table.
I don’t really use chopsticks, but I want a chopstick rest shaped like a fish!
Summary
Chopsticks are utensils made of two thin sticks held in one hand to pick up and move food. There is also a partner item called a hashioki, which is used to rest chopsticks.
