Food, rules and rituals 🍙🍵

Daily life in Japan is full of little customs and rules. And that also applies to food!

Here in Japan, you quickly learn that eating is more than just putting something in your mouth . Everything has its rules and rituals. A great journey of discovery (with trial and error ;-))

At every meal, you're expected to finish your plate. Danée gave us a confused look once: "But I really can't do any more!" No, everything has to be finished. Yenthe laughed and turned it into a game: who eats the last bit of rice (with chopsticks, of course)! And Nolan? He happily gobbled down his mini-portions and occasionally raised his arms in victory (Yeahhhhh!).

And what we'll be doing from now on... we'll no longer order a meal for everyone. We'll happily share. No one will find it strange if you ask for a plate for the children if they don't already bring one to you as soon as you sit down. So, no more always making our own choices; we'll share the food that's been chosen!

Then there are the little rituals . Lunchtime means properly washing your hands and pushing back your chair. Our girls learn this quickly, and Nolan happily joins in, wanting to do everything his sisters do. Even we adults are reminded of our etiquette when we forget something. This custom starts with reserving a table. Even in a large food court, you place some of your belongings on a table to reserve it. No one will touch it and politely take another table. This took some getting used to, because Yenthe likes to return everything to its rightful owner... only they prefer to come and get it themselves.

And Danée now understands that you can't just run to a shopping cart that's parked somewhere. This one is waiting patiently until the user is done eating :-)

Snacks and treats are also quite an experience. Everything is neatly packaged in small portions, and everyone often shares their treats. We often see this because our children are offered all sorts of things when we take a break. This way, they at least get to try things they normally wouldn't!

What we've noticed is that these small rules bring calm and structure to daily life. Westerners sometimes feel strict and overly strict, but we're already noticing that they create a relaxed way to be together.