Loud slurping may be rude in the U.S., but in Japan it is considered rude not to slurp. Oh, and don't forget to use your chopsticks to get the noodles into your mouth. It is also acceptable to bring your small bowl of food close to your face to eat, instead of bending your head down to get closer to your plate.
Slurping is a sign of appreciation
In Japanese culture slurping your noodles shows how MUCH you are enjoying your meal. The slurping process also cools down the noodles and enhances flavors, so don't feel uncomfortable and just slurp it!
Japan is a country which has many unique cultures within it, and slurping is one of the most unusual characteristics! This can be a huge surprise when you come across it for the first time as it often is considered as a bad behavior at meal in many other countries.
Blowing your nose at the table, burping and audible munching are considered bad manners in Japan. On the other hand, it is considered good style to empty your dishes to the last grain of rice.
It is also rude to slurp food, eat noisily or make noise with cutlery. Elbows should remain off the table.
The big slurp
Slurping your noodles loudly is considered a compliment to the chef throughout Japan and China – a sign of deep appreciation for your one-bowl meal.
Most Koreans do not eat with a knife or fork. Slurping and belching are acceptable while dining, and is sometimes considered a sign of appreciation of the cooking. Tipping is not a part of the culture in Korea.
Chewing open-mouthed (including chewing gum), slurping loudly, burping and talking with a full mouth are considered very rude. If you do any of these things accidentally, say "pardon me" or "excuse me."
Always finish your meal!
The Japanese consider it rude to leave food on your plate, and even more so to order more food when you haven't finished everything you've already got. This is related to one of the fundamental concepts in Japanese culture, mottainai, which is a feeling of regret at having wasted something.
Historically, the noodles were eaten as quickly as possible, and then they would drink the soup which would result in loud slurping. One can even argue that slurping noodles is a part of Japanese table manners as slurping is an action correlated with eating noodles.
6 China: Leave Food On Your Plate
This is the case in China. It's considered rude to eat everything on your plate because doing so implies that you're still hungry, even if you're not. That means that the host hasn't done a satisfactory job of providing enough food and can make them feel bad.
No Slurping
Never ever slurp the ends of the pasta into your mouth. This is an amateur move and makes for awkward dining experiences in fine dining atmospheres. Instead, work on perfecting the fork technique above, and make sure that the pasta is tightly wound around your fork before you start to eat it.
In fact, in Japanese culture, people are taught not to maintain eye contact with others because too much eye contact is often considered disrespectful.
Accepting something or agreeing
If you want to say “OK” you can give a person a thumbs-up or put your hands up above your hand, bend them in the elbows a bit to form a big “O” (called maru in Japanese). Remember, however, that thumb-down is an offensive sign in Japan.
Don't use the chopsticks like a sword and "spear" your food. The Japanese consider this behavior rude. If the food is too difficult to pick up (this happens often with slippery foods), go ahead and use a fork instead.
Before starting to eat a meal, saying itadakimasu, a polite phrase meaning "I receive this food", is a way to show gratitude towards the person that prepared the meal. This can be done in a praying motion, which is gathering both hands together, or more simply, by bowing the head.
Obscene Gestures: Raising one's middle finger or making the 'V' sign with one's palm facing oneself is considered very rude in Australia. Beckoning: Australians beckon people by waving them over with their palm facing up.
It is considered impolite to ask a direct question about a person's salary or wealth. Inquiring about someone's weight or age is also highly inappropriate in many situations. Spitting in public is rude. If there is a line for something, always queue and wait for your turn.
Cheeky: Used widely in Aboriginal Australia, the word cheeky isn't only used to refer to insolence but also behaviour that is dangerous. A dog prone to biting people, for example, would be described as “cheeky”.
Handshakes and bows are acceptable greetings, but greeting someone with close physical contact, such as hugging or grabbing hands or arms, is bad Korean etiquette.
Japanese tend not to eat while walking along or standing around on the street. However, it is acceptable to drink while standing aside a vending machine. Eating and drinking on local trains, but not long distance express trains, is also frowned upon.
One of the first things you'll hear in any discussion of Japanese table manners is that it's customary, and even polite, to audibly slurp your noodles as you eat them. It doesn't matter if it's ramen, soba, or udon. Japanese-style noodles are meant to be slurped, with the sound showing that you're enjoying the meal.