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What do people eat in Japan?

Diet

The Japanese diet consists largely of rice, fresh vegetables, seafood, fruit, and small portions of meat. Rice and tea are part of almost every meal. Teriyaki sauce is famous, along with sushi (small portions of savory rice and other fillings - often raw fish - wrapped in seaweed.) The ritual of the tea ceremony, cha no yu, is 600 years old. Both guests and hosts follow special rules of etiquette. The aim of the ceremony is to achieve a feeling of peacefulness.

Mealtime

Although many youths eat while walking in public, it is generally considered bad manners for adults to do so. Snack foods sold at street stands are thus eaten at the stand. In a traditional meal, the Japanese typically eat from their bowl while holding it at chest level instead of bending down to the table. Chopsticks (hashi) are used to eat most meals, but people generally use Western utensils when eating Western food. The main meal is eaten in the evening. Because many people work late hours, they may eat dinner in office building restaurants or on the way home.

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