Using chopsticks can be very difficult for beginners and can take a while to get used to, but once you learn how, it is really quite simple! It’s also a really handy skill to have if you’re travelling to Japan, or another asian country, as restaurants won’t necessarily always have forks and knives for cutlery. It can be useful in other countries as well, like Australia, since Japanese and other asian restaurants become more widespread and popular; it’s always much more fun to eat Japanese food in the traditional way with chopsticks rather than a knife and fork! Chopsticks are also extremely handy when you’re cooking at home.
Although being able to use chopsticks incorrectly is better than not being able to use them at all, being able to use them correctly is even better! Whenever I’m eating in a food court or at a restaurant, I often see people eating their sushi or Japanese curries with chopsticks and they’re either stabbing the food or they’re just not using their fingers correctly. It’s great that they’re trying, but it would make it a lot easier for them if they knew how to use them properly. Japanese people all grow up with chopsticks as the main form of cutlery so it’s kind of second nature to us, but for those of you who grew up with a knife and fork it can be tricky. So here is how to use chopsticks properly:
*Printable PDF file: How To Use Chopsticks PDF Guide
Not a struggle anymore thank you!
That’s great! 😀
So happy to have found your site! This post was very helpful. I try and try and seem to have my own technique, haha!
Whenever we go to sushi houses I am OK, but know I do not have the dexterity of others and at Dim Sum houses I end up asking for a fork because my patience and hunger take over. 🙂
I am glad that you have found this post useful:D. Next time you go to Sushi houses, you can show off your chopstick skill!
That’s so funny! I thought I really should learn how to do this, never tried, so I got online and looked for instructions. This is just how I would naturally do it! Actually this is just like I toke hold of chopstiks and moved them around when wondering how it’s done and then I went to look for instructions! Not very good with them yet, not at all really, but I can pick easy things already 🙂
Thank you for the instruction and you have a wonderfull page, been looking around while here, lots of inspiring recipes!
Hi Sonja, you must have chopstick skill naturally! Keep practicing:D There are fun games to practice using chopsticks. I use those games to teach how to use chopsticks to my students along with this infographic.
Using chopsticks isn’t hard just for beginners. It’s hard for people like me who have used them all their lives. *giggles. I tried many times in my life to correct the way I hold them but to no avail. Recently, I finally put my feet down and started using them correctly even though I was fumbling with them the whole time. So far…. still adapting. :p I’m using my chopsticks right now eating rice while I type this.
Agree, AiPing. I dont know how I learnt but there was definitely no “how to use chopsticks guide” available back then.
I find this post really interesting, You inspire me to try this out!
Hi Carlos, Thank you! Hope this infogrphic help you master the use of chopsticks.