How To Use The Hand Towels At A High-End Sushi Restaurant
How we behave in restaurants matters. Whether it's treating a fast food worker with respect, or understanding the rules of fine-dining etiquette, being a better customer leads to a better dining experience for us and everyone around us. This goes double in high-end Japanese restaurants and sushi spots.
If you've seen the video where TikTokker Zoe Roe's dad grabs a tightly rolled towel off the restaurant table and pops it into his mouth, thinking it's a marshmallow, you know the potential for faux pas with these little towels is high. But really, learn the basics and you'll be fine. The towel is meant to give your hands a quick cleaning before you eat. (It's considered poor form to dive into your toro sashimi without this step.)
When you've finished wiping your hands, don't place the now-soiled towel randomly on the table or counter. Instead, fold or roll it up and return it to the tray on which it was delivered, or lay it on the table's edge.
Oshibori towels are token of hospitality
Oshibori aren't set out as some sort of punishment or judgment. They may have originated as early as the Heian period (794-1185) and have long been a token of hospitality. It's believed that the term "oshibori" appeared during the Edo period (1603-1867). Weary travelers were offered a cloth and a bucket of water at inns and tavern. In the U.S., we mostly run into them in sushi restaurants, but in Japan oshibori appear in many contexts, including homes, hotel lobbies, and more.
Just as there are specific rules for eating noodles in Japan, there are expectations around the oshibori. The key takeaway is that the towels are only intended for your hands and used before you eat. Don't wipe your face or mouth with them (unlike cloth napkins, or towels brought during or after a meal in some Western restaurants). While you might see some Japanese people press the cloth against their face, it's not considered polite. Absolutely do not wipe down your table or cup with oshibori. Likewise, you're not supposed to re-use them. If you're eating nigiri sushi with your hands (acceptable), you may receive a fresh towel between courses. Remember that the tray isn't intended for anything else.