Business Dining Etiquette Guide: How to Enjoy Japanese & International Cuisine with Confidence

Kaiseki traditional course dining is a fundamental element of Japanese cuisine. It is served at venues including the finest hotels, and luxury restaurants known as ryotei. For this article, we will cover the basic order of kaiseki dishes, methods to enjoy each, etiquette, and more, all explained in detail for the benefit of our guests from overseas. We visited Shimizu Japanese Restaurant at Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa to learn more about the smart way to enjoy kaiseki cuisine.

Dobin mushi is a steamed dish served in a traditional Japanese earthenware pot called dobin. This classic autumn dish features seasonal ingredients such as matsutake mushroom and hamo (pike conger). This is not a common household dish, and you may be uncertain how to enjoy dobin mushi if it is served at a special occasion. With this in mind, we’ve asked the experts at Kioi Nadaman, a restaurant in the Hotel New Otani Tokyo, for advice on how to correctly enjoy this sophisticated dish.

Nikko City, in Tochigi Prefecture, has a long heritage of making the most of its natural environment to produce yuba, the skin that forms on the top of boiled soy milk during the tofu making process. To write the word yuba, the kanji characters for “hot water” and “leaf” are used in Kyoto, but in Tochigi Prefecture, the kanji for “hot water” and “wave” are preferred. What’s the reason behind this nuance? And how is yuba prepared into cuisine? We visited a local kappo-style restaurant to learn about the fascinating story of yuba.

Coming to Japan and going to a fancy sushi restaurant with a counter can be a nerve-wracking experience. What should you order first as you face the chef at the counter? How should you eat it? There are so many things you may not know. In this installment, we asked a sushi restaurant in Kachidoki, Tokyo, about the world of counter sushi!

Picture a traditional soba (buckwheat noodle) restaurant, with a selection of small dishes laid out before you and a cup of cold sake on the side… not only delicious, but stylish as well! This culture of enjoying soba together with sake is known as “sobamae”. If you’ve eaten at sobaya (soba specialty restaurants) but only ever tried the noodles, this article is for you! We’ve asked a soba specialty restaurant for some advice on the smart way to enjoy soba and more in the “sobamae” style. Please read on to open new doors for your enjoyment of this traditional Japanese dish.

Crab is a classic dish often served at winter banquets in Japan. Among all varieties, hairy crab (kegani) is considered by many to be "the most delicious of all crabs." It can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as sashimi-style (arai) or simply boiled. However, its reputation as a luxury ingredient may make some people hesitant to try it. To find out what a full-course hairy crab meal is really like, we visited Canni Sienne Ginza, a renowned crab specialty restaurant in Tokyo.

*Mizutaki nabe* is a traditional Japanese hotpot dish in which chicken and vegetables are simmered together, allowing the natural flavors and umami of the ingredients to shine. It is considered a local specialty of the Hakata region in Fukuoka Prefecture. The *mizutaki* served at **Bijindori** features a rich, milky-white broth made simply by slowly simmering chicken bones and water. Despite its simplicity, the flavor is deep and full-bodied. In this article, we’ll guide you through how to enjoy the full course—from the appetizer to the final *shime* (finishing dish).

In Japan, there exists a style of tempura specialty restaurant where customers are seated at the counter. The format of frying “right before your eyes” is the true heart and soul of tempura. To enjoy this style of tempura at its very best, we’ve visited “Tsunahachi Sohonten”, a time-honored tempura specialty restaurant where guests enjoy freshly-fried tempura at the counter.

As one of the most sought after culinary experiences in Japan, the yakiniku style of barbecue hardly needs any introduction! High-end yakiniku, which includes world-renowned brands of premium wagyu beef, is a true meat lover’s dream. In this article, we visit Ushigoro Kan to savor a course of yakiniku featuring grade A5 domestic black wagyu paired with nihonshu (sake) – the pinnacle of luxury.

Sukiyaki, thin slices of tender beef simmered in a savory-and-sweet sauce with accompaniments such as vegetables and tofu, is one of the best-known Japanese dishes around the world! To a Japanese person, sukiyaki is a truly luxurious treat for special occasions. As this dish is most commonly enjoyed at home, being invited to have sukiyaki at a restaurant can be a somewhat stressful situation. Not to worry – we’ve asked the experts at a sukiyaki specialty restaurant, Ningyocho Imahan, for some tips on the smart way to prepare and enjoy sukiyaki in a restaurant setting!

Shabu-shabu is a long-beloved dish throughout Japan. Following the Second World War, beef dishes were introduced to Japan from Europe and America, which led to the shabu-shabu style of enjoying beef becoming popular throughout the nation. In this style, thinly-sliced pieces of beef are briefly swished through a simmering dashi broth, and enjoyed with a variety of condiments. We’ve asked a shabu-shabu specialty restaurant for some advice on the smart way to enjoy this classic dish.

Fugu (pufferfish) is a luxurious ingredient enjoyed in Japan for special occasions. There is an established order of dishes for fugu cuisine, as well as specific techniques to enjoy this remarkable delicacy. To learn the smart way to eat fugu cuisine, we visited Torafugu-tei, a restaurant renowned for its masterful dishes using domestic torafugu (tiger pufferfish) sourced directly from the point of production.

Being invited to a full-course meal at a top-tier French restaurant can make anyone a little nervous, right? After all, a course meal is the very essence of French fine dining. From aperitifs to after-dinner coffee, the experience unfolds over two to three elegant hours. By understanding the basic flow, you can elevate your dining etiquette and enjoy the experience with confidence and grace.

Italian cuisine may have a casual image, but in Japan, there are many restaurants where you can enjoy an authentic full-course Italian meal. Top-tier establishments that offer course menus are often called ristorante. By understanding the structure of the course and the pairing of wines with dishes, you can elevate your dining experience and fully savor refined Italian cuisine.