Should You Use Chopsticks with Sushi?

Main Principle: Eat Sushi with Chopsticks or Your Hands

When eating sushi, both chopsticks and hands are acceptable. Do not hesitate to use your hands, especially if you are not comfortable using chopsticks.

A survey shows that about 70 percent of Japanese people prefer chopsticks, but sushi chefs welcome guests to use their hands. Naruki Takimoto, owner of a prestigious sushi bar in Toyama, says he does not care whether guests use their hands or chopsticks.

If you use your hands, Takimoto recommends turning the sushi sideways and gently pinching it from the top and bottom. He explains that sushi is strong against vertical pressure, which helps it keep its shape.

Delicate and softly shaped nigiri sushi can collapse easily, and using your hands is often the better way to eat it. Even a gourmet journalist agrees that hands allow for more control when handling such fragile pieces.

How to Eat Sushi with Chopsticks

Once you understand the basic etiquette described above, feel free to use chopsticks if you prefer them.

Sushi is strong against vertical pressure, which helps it keep its shape. When using chopsticks, turn the sushi sideways and gently pinch it from the top and bottom.

After picking it up, dip the fish side into the soy sauce. Rice absorbs soy sauce quickly, and too much can overpower the flavor, making it taste overly salty.

Proper Way to Hold Chopsticks: Tips and Techniques

If you want to learn the proper way to hold chopsticks, the method taught to children in Japanese kindergartens and preschools can be a helpful guide. First, grip one chopstick with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger, much like holding a pen.

Next, place the second chopstick in the gap formed by your thumb and index finger, aligned with the first chopstick, and support it with your ring finger to keep it stable.

When picking up sushi or other foods with chopsticks, only move the top chopstick up and down to grip the food, while the bottom chopstick acts as a stable base to support it.

Sushi Etiquette: Rules for Using Chopsticks

Chopsticks come with many rules of etiquette and taboos. When dining at an authentic sushi bar, using chopsticks correctly and gracefully matches the refined atmosphere.

One of the rudest actions is passing food directly from your chopsticks to someone else’s, or sticking chopsticks upright into food such as rice. These actions remind Japanese people of funeral rituals.

Other behaviors are also considered impolite. Tapping or striking a bowl with chopsticks, biting or sucking on them, using them to move bowls or plates, pointing at someone with chopsticks, or resting them across a bowl like a bridge are all frowned upon.

However, if you are an international traveler and not comfortable using chopsticks, most Japanese people will not mind. Still, learning a few basic tips can help you enjoy the meal more fully.

Sushi and Chopsticks FAQs

Here are answers to common questions about sushi and chopsticks. 

What Are Japanese Chopsticks Called?

Japanese chopsticks are called hashi. Most Japanese dishes, including sushi, are eaten with hashi.

Traditional hashi are typically made from lightweight, sturdy wood and finished with lacquer. Today, many hashi are made from plastic and other modern materials.

Which Chopsticks Are Best for Sushi?

Rikyu hashi, also known as tea master chopsticks, are considered one of the best types of chopsticks for eating sushi. Both ends of Rikyu hashi are thin, while the middle section is thicker for better balance and control.

Authentic sushi bars and Japanese restaurants often choose this style of chopsticks, although the final selection depends on each restaurant’s preference.

Where to Buy Authentic Japanese Chopsticks?

When traveling in Japan, you can purchase authentic Japanese chopsticks for sushi at many souvenir shops. Chopsticks are widely sold at airports, train stations and shops in popular sightseeing areas.

Because there are many chopstick makers across the country, each region often offers chopsticks made from local wood as distinctive souvenirs.

Learn the Rules for Using Chopsticks to Savor Sushi

Using chopsticks correctly is key to fully enjoying sushi. If you do not know how to use them or how to pick up sushi properly, the flavor can be spoiled. Nigiri may collapse, and the rice can absorb too much soy sauce.

If you are not comfortable using chopsticks, feel free to use your hands. Sushi chefs welcome this approach, and in some cases, using your hands even signals that you are a familiar sushi lover.

For those looking to enjoy delicious sushi nearby and practice proper chopstick use, click this Sushi Near Me map.

Photo by Kenta Nakajima

Research Sources
Kodansha International. The Kodansha Bilingual Encyclopedia of Japan. Kodansha, Tokyo, Japan.
Kawahara, Kazuhisa. Yomu Sushi Oishii Hanashi 108 Neta. Bungeishunju, Tokyo, Japan.
Iwanami Shoten. Kojien. Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo, Japan.
Heibonsha. Sekai Daihyakka Jiten, revised edition. Heibonsha, Tokyo, Japan.
Japan Tourism Agency. Sushi JTA Sightseeing Database. Japan Tourism Agency, Tokyo, Japan.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Kirei na “Hashi” no Mochikata to Mana, Special Feature 2: Ohashi no Hanashi (2), aff. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan.