Think you're a Japan expert just because you visit often? 14 little-known facts about eating Japanese cuisine

▲Sake (illustration/photo) ● ETNEWS News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive after drinking.

By Rita

Many people assume that frequent trips to Japan make them experts on the country, but in reality, the two aren’t necessarily connected. Without approaching with a curious mindset, many are simply traveling in their usual ways. Take Japanese cuisine, for example—upon closer inspection, you’ll find plenty of misconceptions and mistakes.Independenthas compiled a comprehensive report on this topic. See if you fall into any of these traps, and pay extra attention next time you’re in Japan.

1. Soaking sushi excessively in soy sauce
Sushi is primarily about enjoying the freshness of the fish, yet many people, for some reason, often soak high-quality fish in soy sauce, which then overpowers the taste of the fish. Remember, soy sauce is meant as an accent—just a small amount on the fish is enough.

2. Putting ginger slices on top of sushi
In fact, the main purpose of ginger slices is to cleanse your palate between different pieces of sushi, allowing you to fully taste the next fish. It’s not meant to be eaten with the fish to mask the smell.

▲Ramen (illustration/photo by reporter Huang Kexiang)

3. Eating ramen politely
In Japan, making slurping sounds while eating ramen is actually a sign of respect and appreciation for the chef.

4. Mixing matcha with boiling water
Never use boiling water to brew matcha, as the high temperature will damage the leaves and result in a very bitter taste.

5. Pairing sake with rice dishes
Generally, Japanese people believe that since sake is made from rice, pairing it with rice dishes creates conflicting flavors.

6. Using too much soy sauce
Many people tend to douse their food in soy sauce. Keep in mind that soy sauce is shared among all diners, so hoarding or using too much is considered very impolite.

7. Mixing wasabi and soy sauce together
Since sushi is a delicate dish, mixing it with excessive wasabi and soy sauce actually ruins its quality.

8. Not knowing what sushi really is
Sushi actually refers to vinegared rice, not the sushi rolls themselves.

▲Sushi (illustration, photo by reporter Chen Shichang)

9. Eating cold sushi
Sushi is best enjoyed when the rice is slightly warm, not when it’s cold and hard.

10. Throwing away side dishes
Items like shredded daikon, wasabi, and shiso leaves actually aid in fish digestion.

11. Drinking miso soup with a spoon
The ingredients in miso soup are all soft, so there's no need to use an extra spoon and create more dishes to wash. Many Japanese soups have this characteristic, so you can just lift the bowl and drink from it instead of using a spoon.

12. Freeze the bonito stock
Because bonito stock loses its flavor after being frozen.

13. Don’t pour your own sake
Usually, you pour sake for others, and they pour it for you — it’s a social gesture.

14. Heat the sake too much
Many people think heating sake brings out the flavor, but actually, for premium types like daiginjo, it tastes better when not too hot.