1. Place chopsticks properly. If at a sushi bar, place the chopsticks in front of you, parallel to the edge of the bar, with the narrow ends on the hashi oki (chopstick rest). While it is not as polite to place them on the plate, if you do, place your chopsticks across your plate, not leaning on your plate.
2. Use the broad end of your chopsticks to pick up sushi from a communal platter.
3. Don't pass food from one set of chopsticks to another. As part of a Japanese funeral ritual, family members pass bones of the deceased to each other by chopsticks. Passing food from one set of chopsticks to another mimics this ritual, and is therefore considered extremely impolite and offensive. If you must pass something to another person, pick it up, and place it on their dish. They can then pick it up with their own chopsticks.
4. Know the difference between "nigiri," (pieces of fish, shellfish, or fish roe over rice balls), "makizushi (rolled in seaweed)," "temaki (hand rolls)" and "sashimi" (sliced/chilled raw fish without rice).
5. Always place your "nigiri-sushi" upside-down in the soy sauce and eat it "rice-side up." Don't pinch it too hard, and place it so the fish touches your tongue. (The soy sauce will cause the rice to fall apart.)
6. Sushi should be eaten in one bite if possible, but two bites is generally acceptable. However, don't put the sushi back on the plate if you bit it in half already. Once you pick it up, eat all of it.
7. Feel free to use your fingers as utensils. Wipe your hands on a damp towel, if they provide you with one. But generally, use your fingers for sushi, and use chopsticks for sashimi.
8. Clean off your plate. It is impolite to leave a grain of rice on your plate.
9. Ask the chef what's good, and let him pick for you, especially if it's your first time eating sushi. This shows your respect for what he does, and maybe you'll get a good snack. If you're in Japan, buy the chef a drink, like sake or beer, as a compliment.
10. Learn a few polite Japanese words and phrases, like:
Say thank you, or even better, Arigato gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toh go-zah-ee*-mahss) which means thank you very much.
Before eating, say "Itadakimasu!" (ee-tah-dah-kee-mahss) and when you're done, say 'Gochisousama deshita!" (Goch-sou-sah-mah-desh-tah). This is what Japanese say before and after they eat.
When asking for a waiter/waitress say "Sumimasen" (su-mee-mah-sen). This is the equivalent of saying "excuse me"
(Note on pronunciation: in Japanese, all syllables receive equal stress)
11. If you order a "teishoku" or set item which includes soup, ask to have the soup served with the sushi as an accompaniment, rather than before the sushi as an appetizer.
12. If there is tea available, drink it with one hand holding it, and the other hand supporting it from underneath, using two hands to hold the cup. (Men don't have to do this.)
13. If there is sake for drinking, it boorish to pour sake for yourself. Pour some into cups for others, and let your companions pour sake for you.
14. The purpose of the soy sauce is to flavor the fish, not the rice.
15. Avoid playing with your chopsticks.
16. Use a scant amount of soy sauce, it's impolite to fill up your dish with excess soy sauce.
17. It's just fine to put a a small amount of wasabi on your sushi; likewise, it's fine to tell the chef (itamae-san) that you don't want any wasabi--it will never be taken as an insult. Just use the phrase "wasabi nuki de." Some folks just don't like wasabi, and the customer is king--or "god" as they say in Japanese "okyaku-sama wa kami-sama desu."
18. Don't expect the chef to handle the money. Have another employee assist you. People who handle the food never touch the money.
19. Don't ask for knives, as sushi is not that tough to eat!
20. Never stick your chopsticks in food, standing upright. This is rude, and resembles the incense at a funeral.
21. Always use even/matching chopsticks. People use uneven chopsticks to express sorrow and pass cremated remains (see #3).
Now that you know all the hassles. Now start eating! Enjoy!
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