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own chopsticks?
I read a few responses on the forum about using chopsticks? Should we bring our own as I did in China?
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I read a few responses on the forum about using chopsticks? Should we bring our own as I did in China?
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Do you bring your own fork, spoon and knife, too?
Chopsticks will be provided at meals.
I bought a nice, painted chopstick set in Japan. I first considered it in China, but then decided against it, as you never know if they use leaded paint in China.
I guess you can if you want. I lived in Japan for 2 years and the easiest chopsticks to use are the cheap wooden ones because the relatively rough texture helps pick up the food. The hardest part of using all chopsticks is the lack of muscles to control them. You'd be better off getting a pair and practicing. Don't have to eat with them. Just use them to pick up small objects like dried peas moving them from one bowl to another.
They are provided
You can purchase children’s ones here in the US which are joined together and easier to use, but you soon get the hang of things. Also, you will notice that the Japanese hold their bowls up to their mouths when eating some foods and make slurping noises which is totally acceptable in their culture.
I agree with Claudia. The rough Japanese chopsticks are much easier to use than the polished ones you often see in China.
Regarding children's chopsticks, a Japanese friend showed me how to convert Japanese chopsticks for children with a rubber band. I'm sure you can find instructions on the web somewhere. It's been a long time, so I don't know if I remember the exact process.
I'll tell a short story: A guy is rushing to get to Carnegie Hall. As he comes out of the subway, there’s a bum sitting at the exit. The guy frantically asks the bum, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?”
The bum tries to focus his eyes and says, “Practice, man, practice!”
Same thing with chopsticks – practice, practice, practice.