With its complex culture and numerous unique
customs, it can sometimes be a little stressful to dine out in Japan without worrying about
making a cultural faux pas. In order to help make this experience a smooth
and enjoyable one, here are some basic points about dining out in Japan. Entering the restaurant When entering a restaurant in Japan, you are
greeted by the staff with the expression “irasshaimase”, meaning something like “welcome, please
come in” to which you are not expected to reply a
nything. The waiter or waitress will then ask how many
people are in your party and then lead you to your table. Only on rare occasions will customers be expected
to seat themselves. The most common types of seating at restaurants
include: Western style seating, Zashiki or traditional
seating on the floor and Counter Seating If the restaurant has more than one seating
style, the staff will usually ask which one you would prefer. A majority of restaurants nowadays have Western-style
seating, but
it is also common to find low traditional tables with cushions to sit on
the floor. This type of seating is referred to as “zashiki”. In some restaurants, the floor below the low
table is lowered so that the feet can be stretched. Such tables are called horigotatsu. Some places feature both seating styles and
you may be asked which you prefer. If the restaurant has a counter It is also
common for the staff to ask you whether you’d prefer a table or to sit at the counter. Most restaurants have a
no-smoking policy,
however smoking is still allowed in some smaller and older restaurants that display a “smoking
allowed” sign at the entrance. Ordering and Eating Once seated, each diner is usually served
a free glass of water or tea. If that is not the case, free water or tea
is available for self service somewhere in the restaurant. With the glass of water, you will also be
given a wet towel called oshibori which is used to clean your hands before eating. While you might see some people do i
t, it
is not good manners to wipe your face or other body parts with your oshibori. If chopsticks aren’t already set, you can
find them in a box on the table. Most often they are disposable chopsticks
that need to be separated in two before using. For more information on proper table manners
in Japan, don’t hesitate to check out our basic table manners video. Nowadays, more and more restaurants have an
English menu, and a lot of restaurants have menus with pictures, which can be helpful
if you d
o not read Japanese. In the case where a menu is in Japanese only,
you have two options: 1) ask the waiter for the “osusume” (recommendation),
or “omakase” (chef’s choice). The latter will often get you some surprisingly
good meal, but prepare to be adventurous and do not expect it to be cheap. 2) use the plastic replicas of the dishes
often displayed in the entrance of the restaurant and point at the one you would like to be
served. These replicas serve to entice the customer
and provide an acc
urate visual description of the style and price of meals found inside. To order, you can call the staff using the
word “sumimasen” (excuse me), or use the call button located on the table of many restaurants. Once you have finished ordering, the waiter
or waitress will often repeat your order for confirmation. At many restaurants everybody at the table
is expected to order one meal individually, but
at casual dining and drinking establishments, such as izakaya, it is also very common to
share di
shes at the table. Paying After receiving your meal or once you’re
finished eating, the staff will leave the bill face down on the table. In most restaurants you are supposed to bring
your bill to the cashier near the exit to pay, since it is not common to pay directly
at the table. Cash is always accepted and a large majority
of restaurants also accept credit cards as well as other electronic or mobile payment
methods such as Suica IC Cards. Some restaurants such as ramen shops or gyudon
restau
rants have a different way of paying. Instead of ordering from a menu at the table,
you order your meal from a ticket vending machine near the entrance before being seated. Finally, tipping is not done in Japan. If you do so, you might end up with the staff
chasing you to give you back any money left behind. Instead, it is polite to say “gochisousama
deshita” when leaving. Outro So there you have it, the very basics of Japanese
etiquette when it comes to eating at a restaurant. Make sure to also
check out our “table manners”
video for more detailed information on proper eating manners in Japan. For more information or to check out another
video, click the links on the screen now, or head over to japan-guide.com, your number
one comprehensive up-to-date travel guide first hand from Japan. Thanks for watching! Be sure to subscribe and click the notification
bell for more videos about Japan. Happy Travels
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