This one will be completely unrelated to GameDev - but as this is one of the most diverse community where I participate, I believe it's the right place to ask! 

Currently I'm visiting Japan (doing a bit of trip around it), and so far I really like the food. Yet in case somebody here is Japanese (or lives here) I have a very important question - today I had fried chicken with teriyaki and french fries (I saw them on the list, I basically had to had them) - french fries were served on the plate, and I used chopsticks to eat them (note. there won't be a video!).

Now, as nobody was laughing around (and if you need to know - yes, it happened when I first tried to eat rice here in a small local restaurant in Nara - where we were sole visitors and it was my first experience with chopsticks) ... anyways, in short I absolutely need to know whether I looked like a complete lunatic or whether it is normal.

When in doubt (fingers or sticks), go with the sticks. If you observe someone (Japanese) nearby using fingers, then go ahead.  And whatever you do, do not stick the chopsticks into your food and let the chopsticks stand. That's very bad manners (it's a funeral symbol).

They're actually lenient with the dining etiquette of the visitor as long as they observe the proper rule of their chopstick. You can actually find tons of videos of that on Youtube.

Sometimes you will not know whether their reactions are bewilderment because of your mistakes or surprise because you got it right.
In many cases the correct answer is: Your way.  For example eating pizza with bare hands, regardless of what they think about it, etc.

As for french fries, I personally always used fingers, and I have observed others using forks and fingers.  I do not specifically recall seeing anyone using chopsticks.


L. Spiro

11 hours ago, L. Spiro said:

For example eating pizza with bare hands

Anyone who doesn't eat pizza with their bare hands is an uncultured barbarian and probably a sex offender. ?

To answer the question seriously though, I would follow the etiquette of the cuisine rather than the locality.

I'm in NZ. If I'm eating western food, I'll use a knife and fork. If I'm having Japanese food, chopsticks. Thai food or pasta, fork and spoon.

If it's "causal" food, (e.g. burger, bbq, hors-d'oeuvres), I'll use my hands. 

and so on.