Chopstick Etiquette With Origami Packaging

Delving further into the etiquette of Japanese dining, Tokyo-based designers Takeshi Hamana and Yuya Iwagaki have created a simple, elegant packaging design for chopsticks (‘hashi’ in Japanese) to guide its users on the table manners of the Japanese utensils.

As table manners, users should place their chopsticks on a chopstick-rest when they are not using them and are not done eating—instead of sticking the utensils into their food or placing them on edges of plates or bowls.

The chopstick packaging, called ‘Temotoasobi’, has instructions on folding the packaging origami-style to create a chopsticks rest.

Only when users are satisfied, should they place their chopsticks on their plates of bowls to signify that you are done eating—a Japanese etiquette called ‘sahou’.

Temotoasobi takes into consideration the Japanese ‘omotenashi’ etiquette—that is the hospitality of offering guests wrapped, disposable wooden chopsticks. 

http://designtaxi.com/news/352684/Japanese-Designers-Simplify-Chopstick-Etiquette-With-Origami-Packaging/

Masu Zake Etiquette for Non-Japanese

Traditional Japanese cuisine “washoku” has been in the spotlight more than ever since it was designated an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Japanese sake, which is often described as a rice wine in English, is one of the most important ingredients for Japanese cuisine. A glass, a little sake cup or many other vessels are used to serve sake such as a traditional masu.

Originally, a “masu” was used to measure rice or other types of grain when the lord takes food tax during the feudal period. The beautiful wood grain pattern, aroma of wood and the beauty of its form drew more attentions at a later time, and people started using it as a drinking cup at celebrations. “Masu” is traditionally considered to remove the negative vibes and widely used in a variety of ceremonies. It is common to order “masu” at wedding with names of bride and groom or crests of both families branded on it. “Masu” is also commonly used as a gift at parties. Japanese cedar was originally used for “masu” making, but Japanese cypress is more used in recent years for its beautiful color and aroma. Japanese cypress is very familiar material in Japanese lifestyle.

Hold “Masu” in Right Hand, Four Fingers under Bottom, Thumb on Rim

Hold “masu” with four fingers of your right hand and put thumb on the rim. Do not grab it. Putting your bottom lip along a straight side of the rim and sip with a slurping noise is the correct way to drink it.

Sip from Straight Side of Rim

You might think drinking from a pointy corner of the rim would be easier. But this is wrong way. Sip from a straight side of the rim. By the way, Japanese samurais in old time would hold a “masu” in the left hand as they had to keep their right hand free all the time, in case they needed to draw a sword for a battle. But we hold it in the right hand in modern days.

https://origami-book.com/column/course-en/5972