Sharing plates and using serving chopsticks

Sharing from a big plate is normal

At izakaya and Chinese diners, dishes usually arrive on a large shared plate for everyone to divide up. It's common for a shop to bring small plates and serving chopsticks if you ask.

If direct chopsticks bother you

Taking food from a shared plate with your own chopsticks is called jika-bashi. Plenty of people don't mind it, while others feel more comfortable using serving chopsticks instead. If you're unsure, saying "could I have serving chopsticks?" is usually enough.

Meals meant for one person

Ramen, teishoku set meals, and donburi rice bowls are generally single-portion dishes, and asking to split one bowl between two people is sometimes turned down. See Noodle customs for noodle dishes and Izakaya customs for how ordering works there.

"Can I have a bite?"

Trying a bite of a friend's or family member's dish happens between people who know each other well, but it's generally seen as better to avoid this with someone you've just met or a senior colleague.

Taking leftovers home

Many shops decline to let you take home food you couldn't finish, for hygiene reasons, though some will if you ask. The Consumer Affairs Agency notes that taking leftovers home is at your own risk, and that more shops now offer containers for it.

Splitting a dish for a child

If you'd like a spicy or hot dish divided into a smaller, milder portion for a child, staff are often happy to help if you just ask.

Saying you're sharing

If a group plans to share everything from the start, mentioning "we'll be sharing" when ordering often gets you enough small plates for everyone right away.

Related foods

See also machi-chuka, where sharing from a big plate is common, and donburi, which are usually single-portion bowls.