Chopstick Ninjas

~Chopsticks are the primary eating utensils in Japan, used on everything from rice to ramen noodles. Mastering their use is a goal that I have not yet achieved but am making steady progress towards. The trick is to simply use them whenever possible, and to resist the siren song of the oh-so-tempting fork, spoon, and that most-advanced of eating utensils, the spork.

The Japanese word for chopsticks is hashi, but the term usually used is o-hashi. The 'o' prefix is a mark of respect, used on words such as 'o-tosan' (father), 'o-kaasan' (mother), and 'o-mizu' (water for drinking). It's similar to the archaic use of 'o' in English; for example, "O great king," and "O Lord!". I find it interstesting that such a linguistic similarity exists in otherwise separate languages.

There are a number of rules and etiquette guidelines in effect when using chopsticks. For example, you should never put your chopsticks on the table when you're not using them; instead, restaurants provide a small holder to rest them on. It's also considered extremely rude to use another person's chopsticks.

Many restaurants in Japan serve food in a communal fashion; it arrives on one big plate, and everybody transfers their desired portion to their own plate. When doing this, you're supposed to reverse your chopsticks, and take food with the unused ends. This is especially important when taking noodles, for example, so as not to "contaminate" the food. Also, however tempting in might be, never stick your chopsticks vertically into rice. This is done only during Buddhist ceremonies as offerings to the deceased!

For lunch, I often buy o-bento (packaged lunch boxes; note the 'o' again) from the local supermarket, and I'm always provided with disposable chopsticks. However, in an effort to be more environmentally friendly, I purchased a set of reusable chopsticks for less than a dollar. They even came with a carrying case. Now, I decline the offered chopsticks by saying, "Keko desu" (that's ok).

As a going-away present, the mother of one of my students gave me a gift of high-quality chopsticks. When she gave them to me, I noted that there were two sets, to which she replied, "Use them when you are married." I wasn't quite sure how to respond to that!

Aside from eating, there are other uses for these eating utensils: I've incorporated chopsticks into some of the games that my students play in class. For example, I have a set of foam letters that I scatter over the table, and students with chopsticks have to listen to the word I say and grab the first letter of the word from the table. The first student to accumulate a requisite number of letters becomes the "Chopstick Ninja" and acts as the teacher, calling out words for the other students.

I've found that they are far more proficient in chopstick-wielding than I am, as I discovered to my chagrin when I tried to compete against them. Although I am, of course, much faster to recognize the correct letter, I Just. Can't. Grab. The. Damn. Letter. Using. Chopsticks! It's maddening, yet hilarious.

Do any of you use chopsticks regularly? If not, try using them the next time you're at an oriental restaurant. It's a real challenge. Can you become a true Chopstick Ninja? ~Oyasumi!