"Mind Your Manners: Essential Dining Etiquette to Avoid Embarrassment on Your Wedding Day"

2024.11.22 published

Ishiba's Way of Eating Rice Balls Becomes a Hot Topic...

On October 1, 2024, Shigeru Ishiba was inaugurated as the 102nd Prime Minister of Japan. Born in 1957, he is currently 67 years old.

Since his inauguration, he has been the subject of comments like “mouth agape, belly bulging.”

✅ His belly is visible in the commemorative group photo of ministers.

✅ He shakes hands with foreign prime ministers while sitting.

✅ His way of holding a bowl and using chopsticks is terrible.

As a result, he has become a target of ridicule compared to others like Aso and Abe, who come from a more aristocratic background, being labeled as “lacking refinement...”

Among the many comments on social media, there have been remarks like,

“Seeing Ishiba, it makes me think that hereditary succession was necessary.” Recently, the conversation has shifted to:

“His way of eating rice balls looks like a carp and is dirty.”

You’ve seen that video, right…??

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What Can We Learn to Avoid Becoming Like Ishiba?

Just like Ishiba, who is discussed on national (and global) television and the internet regarding manners and behavior, the bride and groom on their wedding day are always filmed in photos and videos, and their eating habits are observed.

(Recently, groom and bride eating videos have become quite popular and are often recorded.)

To ensure that we don’t feel embarrassed when captured on camera or to not be shocked ourselves.

Let’s take Ishiba as a negative example and review how to eat without being seen as dirty or sloppy.

Here are the points that were pointed out on the internet about his eating habits.

① Eating in One Bite

Many people must have been surprised, thinking, “What!? Is he swallowing whole?!”

Some expressed that it looked like a carp, and it gave me a little laugh.

It’s common sense, but we should take pieces that are manageable to eat without rushing.

② Rice Stuck in His Mouth

The consequences of eating in one bite lead to this...

It’s an example that if you can’t master one basic action, it fundamentally affects everything else 😢

③ Not Closing His Mouth

Ishiba was constantly showing the inside of his mouth while chewing, which led to comments on his lack of dignity.

This might not always be the case, but it could also be due to the size of his bites being too big.

Assessing the appropriate bite size is very important. It’s safer to eat smaller portions during significant occasions...

④ Not Speaking

Ishiba had to give his thoughts while eating the rice ball as part of his job.

While stuffing his cheeks with a large rice ball, he spoke (even if just a little).

This further led to exposing the inside of his mouth (although he wasn’t keeping it closed throughout...).

We should also be cautious not to speak while we have food in our mouths.

If a guest unexpectedly speaks to us while we are eating, it might be good to cover our mouths with a napkin.

To Avoid Becoming Like Ishiba...

On that day, the rice ball Ishiba ate in that scene was the fifth one.

(The rice grains seen before eating are a result of this.)

I think dining etiquette can easily spark debates between those who are very conscious about it and those who are completely indifferent. To avoid unwanted attention, it would be great to always be mindful of this.