作法Etiquette · Counter gestures
How to eat sushi: chopsticks or fingers, wasabi, ginger, soy sauce — the no-faux-pas guide.
There is no “wrong” way to eat sushi, but a few simple gestures truly change the taste of every bite.
In short
Pick up nigiri with fingers or chopsticks, dip the fish side (never the rice) lightly in soy sauce and eat it in one bite. Wasabi is already dosed by the chef, so do not stir it into the soy. Pickled ginger cleanses the palate between pieces. Taste from the mildest to the fattiest fish.
No wrong way, just codes that enhance the taste
Sushi is a simple pleasure, not an exam. These gestures exist only to respect the balance the chef built between rice, fish and wasabi, with Koshihikari rice cooked twice a day and fish cut to order.
Chopsticks or fingers? The real answer
Nigiri is traditionally eaten with the fingers, which hold it without crushing the rice. Chopsticks are fine too. Sashimi is always eaten with chopsticks.
Soy sauce: fish side, never rice — here is why
Rice soaks up soy like a sponge and falls apart. Turn the nigiri over and touch the soy with the fish only.
Wasabi: already dosed by the chef, why not to mix it
In a good nigiri, the chef places a touch of wasabi between rice and fish, adjusted to each piece.
01Tailored dosing
Fatty fish takes a little more wasabi than delicate white fish.
02Muddy soy, flattened taste
Stirred into soy, wasabi makes every piece taste the same.
03Want more?
Place a dot directly on the fish instead.
Prefer no wasabi at all? Just ask when ordering: pieces are cut to order.
Gari (pickled ginger): a palate cleanser between bites
Gari is eaten alone, one slice at a time, between two different pieces to reset the palate. It is not a topping.
What order to taste an assortment (mildest to fattiest)
Go from the most delicate to the most powerful flavours.
- 01
White fish
Sea bream and delicate fish first.
- 02
Red and fatty fish
Tuna, then salmon.
- 03
Dressed rolls
Maki and sauced pieces last.
A slice of gari or a sip of green tea between each family.
One bite: the golden rule of nigiri
A nigiri is sized to be eaten whole, fish side on the tongue, so rice, fish and wasabi meet at once. Eat it as soon as it arrives.
The most common mistakes (and why they spoil Koshihikari rice)
Most table mistakes damage the rice, the true foundation of sushi.
Dipping the rice in soy
It soaks up salt and falls apart.
Drowning wasabi in soy
Every piece ends up tasting the same.
Putting gari on sushi
Its acidity overwhelms the fish.
職人Sushi & Nem · Thonon-les-Bains
At the counter, the best place to learn
To see these gestures live, sit at our sushi counter in Thonon. Vincent, our sushi chef for twenty years, cuts every piece to order.
To spot quality before the first bite, read our guide how to choose good sushi.
Discover the assortments on the menu質問FAQ
FAQ: eating sushi the right way
Do you eat sushi with your fingers?
Yes for nigiri, it is Japanese tradition. Chopsticks are fine too; sashimi always with chopsticks.
Where do you dip the soy sauce?
Fish side, never rice side, with a light touch.
What is the pickled ginger for?
It cleanses the palate between two different pieces. Eat it alone.
Can I ask for sushi without wasabi?
Of course, just mention it when ordering.
Should wasabi be mixed into soy sauce?
Better not: the chef has already dosed it.
Do you drink green tea with sushi?
Yes, it is the classic pairing and cleanses the palate.
In what order should I eat a sushi platter?
From mildest to fattiest: white fish, tuna, salmon, then rolls.
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Ready to practise? Come to Sushi & Nem, your restaurant japonais thonon, near the station, or call us on 06 59 29 25 48.