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As everyone knows, there is an art to holding chopsticks. However, it is an art that even a westerner can master. I received many genuine compliments about my chopstick holding while I lived in Japan. In fact, my wife would agree that I even hold them better than her!

So, how do you hold chopsticks?

You can reference a picture at www.tenchi.us as you follow these steps:

1. The top chopstick is held just as you would hold a pencil for writing.

2. The top chopstick is the only one that moves. It moves in an up and down motion like you are writing tally marks. As it rests on top of the middle finger, the middle finger lifts the chopstick up (or open) and the index finger moves it down (or closes).

3. The bottom chopstick is placed between your thumb and forefinger and his held in place with the finger print face of your ring finger with some pressure.

4. Once again, the bottom chopstick DOES NOT move! A trick I use with my son is having him try to take the bottom chopstick out of my hand. This teaches him to hold on to it quite tightly. Then it is my turn to take it away from him. He loves playing this game with our Japanese chopsticks!

5. The final thing to remember is that your chopsticks will never touch each other. This means the back side by your thumbs will not touch and, of course, you should be picking up food with the other end, which will be lodged quite snuggly between the other ends!

More About Chopsticks!

-Chopsticks are called HASHI in Japanese. The intonation drops downward on the SHI. If you pronounce the word with a lift in intonation at the end you are saying "bridge" instead of "chopsticks"!

-Never "stick" your chopsticks into a bowl of rice. This is a symbol for death.

-Never pass food with your chopsticks, this is also a symbol of death. After a person dies, his bones are passed in this manner.

-Never move dishes around with your chopsticks!

-Never grab something else (i.e. a glass, cup, etc.) while the the chopsticks are still in your hand. Put them down first.

-Hold your chopsticks about 3-5 cm from the tip. An old wives tale says that a man who holds his chopsticks far from the tip will live far away from his parents!

-When you use WARIBASHI (disposable wooden chopsticks), place them back in the paper holder when you are finished.

-Don't point to something or someone with your chopsticks.

_When eating something communally, use the back end of the chopsticks to take the item from the dish. Then use the front end, again, to eat the item.

-Regardless if you are a righty or a lefty, when you place the chopsticks while setting the table, they always point to the left!

-You can purchase "training" chopsticks to use until you are able to use the adult ones.

-Practice picking up M&Ms or Skittles to really test your skill!

If you have paid close attention, then I am sure you, too, will master the art of holding and using chopsticks. Just remember, it takes time and patience. Don't give up!

"Stick" with it!

Troy S. Hogg is the owner of Tenchi, LLC and webmaster for http://www.tenchi.us, a site dedicated to helping balance the body, mind, and spirit of its visitors.