The correct way to hold chopsticks
1. First, place the first chopstick between your thumb and index finger and next to the nail of your ring finger, and hold it firmly in place. Keep this chopstick still while eating. 
2. Hold the second chopstick with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger, as if you were holding a pencil. The key is to make sure your thumb is resting on the first joint of your index finger. 
3. Make a triangle with the two chopsticks. This is the basic way to hold them. Be careful not to let the tops of the chopsticks touch each other.
4. Keep the first chopstick still and use the tip of your thumb as a fulcrum where it touches the second chopstick, then use your index and middle fingers to move the top chopstick up and down to grab the food.
What do you think? If you try holding chopsticks in the correct way, some of you may have realized that your own way of holding them is strange.
Now is your chance to fix it!
Wrong way to hold chopsticks
●Holding chopsticks
Photo from Photo AC by f*********************m This is a common way of holding chopsticks among small children, where they grip them tightly with their fingers other than their thumbs.
Because you cannot open or close your chopsticks, they cannot function as chopsticks, and you end up shoveling food into your mouth or stabbing it in your mouth, which is an unsightly way to eat.
●Cross chopsticks
This is a way of holding chopsticks that crosses in the middle. Because the chopsticks are crossed, the tips of the chopsticks cannot be closed, making it difficult to properly grasp small objects or noodles.
The reason is that the middle finger is not being used properly, so the bottom chopstick cannot be supported.
●Parallel chopsticks
This is a surprisingly common way of holding chopsticks among older people. Because the middle finger is pinched between the chopsticks, the tips of the chopsticks cannot be closed. This makes it difficult to pick up small objects.
●Pen chopsticks
This is a way of holding chopsticks together, like holding a pencil. Because the ring finger is not being used properly, the chopsticks cannot be spread apart and food cannot be grasped properly.
●Chopsticks
This is a way of holding chopsticks with the index finger floating without using it. It is difficult to transfer force to the chopsticks, making it difficult to grasp food firmly. The protruding index finger also looks unattractive. Surprisingly, even among adults, there are many who do not hold chopsticks correctly. It's one thing as a child, but once you become an adult, no one around you will tell you to. It may be awkward at first, but gradually you will get used to holding them correctly.
<Extra Edition> How to Hold Chopsticks Properly
The act of lifting chopsticks is a casual movement, but just being able to use chopsticks beautifully can give others a good impression of you as an educated person with good manners. It's easy, so please try to master it.
1. Pick up the chopsticks with your right hand.
2. Place your left hand under the chopsticks and slide your right hand to the right edge.
3. Wrap your right hand around underneath and hold it in the correct position, then release your left hand.
It's easy to remember in the order right, left, right.
<Extra Edition> How to rest your chopsticks
While eating, you may sometimes let go of your chopsticks, but where do you put them? Many people place them on the bowl or plate. When you need to rest your chopsticks, you should place them on a chopstick rest or on the chopstick case.
When putting your chopsticks down, reverse the movement you made when you first picked them up.
1. While holding chopsticks in your right hand, place your left hand underneath the chopsticks.
2. Place the chopsticks in your left hand, release your right hand, and hold it over the chopsticks.
3. Release your left hand and gently place the chopsticks on the chopstick rest.
summary
Some people may think that self-imposed habits acquired over many years are impossible to change, but they can be changed even as adults. By steadily practicing the correct way to hold and use chopsticks every day, you will develop good chopstick etiquette.
Proper chopstick etiquette is important not only for your own sake, but also to avoid giving an unpleasant impression to those around you.
It is said that Japanese food culture is becoming more Westernized, and chopsticks are no longer considered as important. However, as Japanese people, shouldn't we take another look at chopsticks, a part of Japanese culture?
