Description
Brand new ceramic Japanese Maneki Neko beckoning cat chopsticks holder
(hashi oki). Japanese table etiquette prescribes many rules (see list below) for the
proper use of chopsticks or hashi as they are called in Japanese.
One of the most important rules is that the eating ends of the hashi
should never be allowed to touch the table. Accordingly, the Japanese have
developed a wide range of beautiful and interesting chopstick holders called
hashi oki, which are designed to elevate the ends of the chopsticks above
the table when not in use. This particular
hashi oki takes the form of a small Maneki Neko feline (please read below
to learn about this most famous Japanese kitty) standing upon a pink plum (ume)
blossom. The kitty has both paws raised in that classic beckoning gesture
that has made his kind so famous.
Size:
Height: 1.1 inches (2.8 centimeters)
Weight: 0.5 ounces (13 grams)
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Maneki Neko
Tableware!
We have more Maneki Neko items for your table! Please click
here to see a complete list of available items including beckoning cat
tea cups, rice bowls and more! Or
contact us
if you are interested in a complete set of Maneki Neko items!
Japanese Chopstick Etiquite
Chopsticks are called hashi in Japanese and the following is an
informal list of rules and suggestions for proper Japanese hashi use.
Many of these rules have their origin in religious belief and are taken
seriously by most Japanese. Though few would actually say anything to a
foreign rule-breaker, most Japanese find the following actions a bit difficult
to witness.
The Rules:
- Never let the business end of your chopsticks touch the table top.
- Don't wave the chopsticks or use them to hover over food while deciding
which morsel to pick up.
- Avoid food dripping or falling from your chopsticks.
- Do not spear food with your chopsticks.
- Don't suck on the ends of chopsticks or close your mouth completely
around them.
- Speakers at formal meals should never tap their chopsticks against
tableware in order to gain the attention of others.
- Never exchange food via chopsticks. Always place shared items on a
plate and pass the plate to the intended recipient.
- And by all means NEVER stick your chopsticks into your rice bowl and
leave the chopsticks standing on their own! This particular rule stems
from the Japanese funeral and memorial practice of using a bowl of rice with
chopsticks stuck in the top as an offering to the spirits of the dead.
I've personally experienced the lightning fast reflexes of an otherwise
gentle and demure Japanese mother who quickly snatched my hashi
from my rice bowl after my first (and only) experience violating this rule.
Disposable Chopsticks and Improvised Chopstick Holders:
While the Japanese enjoy using beautifully designed and decorated reusable
chopsticks at home, diners at Japanese restaurants (even very expensive
restaurants) will likely be given a pair of cheap disposable wooden chopsticks
to use with their meal. The disposable chopsticks consist of a single
piece of wood which is split up the middle. The restaurant diner makes use
of these by first removing the paper cover and then pulling the sticks apart to
separate them. Some people then brush the eating ends together several
times in order to remove any small splinters or rough edges which may remain.
When dining with Japanese people please keep in mind the rules noted above and
follow the lead of your hosts. When you wish to rest your chopsticks be
sure to use a chopstick holder (hashi oki) or, if no holder is
available, you can rest your chopsticks on the lip of any large plate or bowl.
Surprisingly, most Japanese restaurants do not provide any hashi oki
for their customers, and many Japanese are therefore adept at making their own
from the paper which covered their disposable wooden chopsticks.
Reminiscent of the unique Japanese paper-folding craft called origami,
folded paper hashi oki are a utilitarian wonder of inspired necessity,
crafted with care by people who take their mealtime etiquite seriously and who
are able to preserve propriety through creative ingenuity. When dining with
Japanese people keep an eye open at the start of the meal and you just may
witness someone engaged in the skilled act of making their own paper hashi
oki. If you ask, I'm sure that they would be delighted to teach you to
do the same...
Maneki Neko - Japan's Beckoning Luck Cat
Japanese
legend holds that long ago an emperor was traveling on horseback when he spotted
a small cat waving at him. After the emperor dismounted from his horse to
get a closer look the horse was struck by lightning and killed.
Subsequently, the emperor pronounced that cats in general should be respected as
sacred animals and thus was born the legend of the beckoning Maneki Neko.
This is just one of several popular tales regarding the origin of Japan's most
famous cat.
Today in Japan you are likely to spot a Maneki Neko figure waving at you from
within just about every Japanese place of business. The legendary kitty
has been transformed from an emperor saving Samaritan to a bringer of money and
good fortune to all Japanese. There are basically three types of Maneki
Neko: The first and oldest type is waving a single paw in an effort to
attract people to it (just like the emperor's savior). Another newer
version (yet still likely
centuries
old) is a Maneki Neko waving one paw while holding an old fashioned
Japanese coin in the other paw. This second type is thought to bring
wealth to its owner. The final type of Maneki Neko is a modern
version which waves both paws. Still further variations exist with
additional meaning even ascribed to such things as the color and pattern of the
coat. Maneki Neko are usually ceramic and
are often used as piggy banks. Piggy bank
Maneki Neko will have a slot in their back to receive coins and a hole in
the bottom for their removal. Many modern
Maneki Neko are purely decorative (no piggy bank) and may be made of
papier-mache or cloth in addition to the traditional ceramic styles. To
learn more, please visit our
About
Japan page and look for the feature titled Maneki Neko Corner.
This special section of our website is dedicated exclusively to all things
Maneki Neko and includes additional information as well as interesting photos of
authentic
Maneki Neko in use in Japan today.
More photos below!
item code: INV-0000101_17 CER-0000289
ship code: L2160
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