10 Dining Etiquette Tips to Enhance Your Sushi Enjoyment

From bite-sized yummies to cone-shaped goodies, sushi has long charmed the world over with their vibrant aesthetics and satiating umami flavours. For the Japanese, sushi is a proud foodie cultural legacy born and evolved from the oldest tradition of combining preserved seafood and vinegar-flavoured rice, to become the gastronomic array of delights that everyone can enjoy today.

And of course, with such a revered legacy comes the etiquette to savour sushi. But apart from basic politeness and chopsticks etiquette, there aren’t hard rules nor strict rituals to eating sushi. Rather, there are simple ways to enrich the sushi flavours as you eat, and perhaps earn your sushi chef’s liking and respect.

So, here are 10 sushi etiquette tips to savour sushi like a pro:

1: Savour sushi-s in the ‘right’ order

Traditionally, it is best to savour the myriad sushi-types from the chilled to room temperature. So, start with Sashimi, continue to smaller sushi-types like Maki and Temari, then Nigiri and Temaki, finally completing your meal with a warm bowl of miso soup.

2: Eat with chopsticks or hand

You can eat sushi with chopsticks or pick them up with your hand. In fact, sushi is considered a traditional Japanese finger food. Sashimi is the only exception that you should eat with chopsticks – the easier way to ‘navigate’ the delicate texture of raw fish.

3: Only dip the topping, not the rice

To add a dash of savoury shoyu soy sauce to your sushi, remember to only dip in the topping, as the rice may soak up too much sauce and become too salty. Also refrain from dipping too much – you’d want the sushi topping’s freshness and natural flavour to shine as well. So, just tilt the sushi and lightly dip the topping. This can also prevent the rice from breaking as you hold it.

4: Add Wasabi sparingly

Beside shoyu sauce, the minty, zesty Wasabi is the main sushi condiment. However, authentic sushi chefs will often include the right amount of wasabi within each sushi or sashimi serving to ensure the perfect balanced flavour. For sushi that comes without wasabi, just a pinch of it is enough. You’d want a zesty Wasabi touch, and not have the flavour overwhelm the whole sushi.

5: Don’t mix Wasabi with Soy Sauce

Never mix the Wasabi with the shoyu, as this will greatly alter and dilute both flavours. Apply separately instead, so you can enjoy them in perfect tandem with your sushi flavours.

6: Savour bite-sized sushi whole

Apart from the cone-shaped Temaki roll, sushi chefs will always make the bite-size sushi-s just right to be eaten in one savouring munch – for all the flavours and textures to blend in your mouth, culminating in complete umami pleasure. So, don’t be shy and nibble, just savour your sushi whole!

7: Place the topping side on your tongue

This tip is especially for Nigiri sushi types, which are morsels of fish, seafood, or roes delicately pressed atop a small chunk of sushi rice. When you eat, place the topping side on your tongue, and munch slowly to savour the combo of flavours.

8: Have a slice of Gari between sushi-s

Gari is Japanese pickled ginger, with a sweet, tangy flavour and mild spicy tone. Served as a palate cleanser, the Gari’s bracing flavour can clear the residue tastes after each sushi you eat, so you can enjoy the next one with refreshed tastebuds. Alternatively, you can also use the Gari for adding soy sauce. Dip a slice of Gari in the shoyu, then brush it on your sushi topping, to add a gingery aroma!

9: Be mindful & focus on your sushi meal

Mindfulness is a core tenet of Japanese culture, and certainly extends to dining etiquette. Thus, it is considered a show of respect to fully immerse in your sushi enjoyment, without distraction like scrolling on your phone. Chatting on the other hand, is encouraged, as dining in Japanese culture is a bonding activity between friends and loved ones. Chefs at sushi bars are mostly friendly as well. But never ask them ‘what is fresh’, as it is the basic duty of every sushi chef to guarantee the freshness of the food they serve, and they take their jobs very seriously.

10: No sushi left behind

Food waste is greatly frowned upon in Japanese culture. So, know your preferences and appetite, and always finish the sushi-s you ordered. This is considered a compliment to sushi chefs. So be sure to thank them for a delicious meal!

More Asian Dining Etiquette Tips

Every culture has their own unique dining etiquette and practicing them can enrich your foodie experience. Come discover the basic table settings in Asian cuisines, and learn how to dine authentically with your Japanese, Korean and Chinese friends!