Guide to Chopstick Rests

Visit a restaurant or household in Japan, and you will often encounter the humble but hard-working chopstick rest. Essentially Japan’s version of the Western practice of placing a napkin under one’s knife or fork, chopstick rests keep the ends of your chopsticks off the table. This way, you can put your chopsticks down during a meal without dirtying the table or the parts of the chopsticks that reach your mouth, making for a cleaner and more hygienic dining experience. In addition to being functional, chopstick rests also feature a wide variety of creative designs that wonderfully accent a table setting.

This guide is all about chopstick rests: how to use them, where they go in a table setting, their benefits, and an introduction to the extremely varied and individual patterns and shapes you can find. Read on to learn how to add the fun of chopstick rests to your table!

Using chopstick rests is very easy. All you have to do is place the tips of your chopsticks on top of the chopstick rest.

Why? This makes it so the part of the chopsticks you eat from doesn’t touch the table. The benefits are three-fold. First it’s more hygienic, because you won’t spread germs to and from the tabletop and your mouth.

Second, it helps keep your table clean—no bits of sauce or sticky rice remnants to wash off your tablecloth, placemat, or tabletop later. Instead, everyone has their own individual chopstick rests that can quickly and easily be cleaned after the meal.

Finally, it stops your chopsticks from rolling away from you—which, if you’ve ever had your chopsticks roll onto the floor and picked them up only to find they’re covered in crumbs and cat hair and you have to wash them again, you’ll know is an annoying inconvenience.

Chopstick rests go on the lower left side of a table setting, on the place mat if you’re using one, and in front of your bowls and plates of food. That way, your chopsticks are easy to reach for, and there’s no danger of accidentally trailing your sleeve in your soup when you go to pick them up. The chopsticks lay horizontally, with the tips facing toward the left and extending a little over the edge of the chopstick rest.

This makes your chopsticks easy to pick up with your right hand, and it is also the generally accepted way to set a Japanese table. But there’s no need to suffer if you’re left-handed: lefties can feel free to put their chopstick rests on the lower right and turn their chopsticks to face toward the right, too. The main goal is comfort and ease of use.

Ever shoveled in bite after bite of lunch in a scarce ten minutes between work meetings, feeling stressed and unhappy the entire time?

Using a chopstick rest is the opposite of that. With a clean, easy, and aesthetically appealing place to put down your utensils, chopstick rests help you slow down and take a breath. Between bites of food, try putting down your chopsticks. Chew your food slowly, savoring the flavors. Maybe chat with the family or friends with whom you’re sharing the meal. Then pick your chopsticks back up and continue. This is a great way to add a bit of mindfulness and a sense of rest to your day.

Slowing down the pace of the meal also makes it harder to overeat. It takes about twenty minutes for your stomach and brain to realize you’re full. So small pauses while eating help prevent that uncomfortable over-full feeling as you tune into your body and what it truly needs.

Although chopstick rests for special occasions might be at higher price points to reflect their precious materials, those for everyday meals tend to be priced very accessibly. This makes them a great entry point for new fans of Japanese ceramics or lovers of Japanese art, food, or pop culture.

Chopstick rests’ small size also makes them an easy gift to give as a stocking stuffer, a memorable thank you, or as a memento of a trip to Japan.

Chopstick rests’ place doesn’t always have to be on the table. Many people like to use them as interior decor: as small pieces to decorate bookshelves, hall tables, or entryways.

Some especially decoration-friendly pieces are these gold-flecked ceramic origami cranes, this clever ninja-themed series, and this witty series of vegetables. Their colors and three-dimensionality make placing them a real treat.

From flat to three-dimensional, sophisticated to cute, chopstick rests come in such a diversity of shapes, colors, and patterns that it’s really fun and easy to play around with various designs. Set the table with gold-flecked chopstick rests for an important gathering with people you want to impress, or set a place for one with something quirky that makes you smile. It’s all up to you.

The wide range of creativity and cleverness in chopstick rests’ designs means that there’s lots of room to play around with your own personal style.

For example, those who love nature might appreciate these sweet little Flower Petal Akita Cherry Bark Work rests from Yatsuyanagi. With the gorgeous natural textures and luster of real bark, they bring to the table a sense of serene forest groves.

If you love color, we recommend the Traditional Design Cutlery Rests series. With many colors and patterns, they’re easy to mix and match, and their unique design featuring two shallow dips in the middle make them easy to use with a fork and knife, as well.

And if cute or quirky things are your favorites, Ihoshiro Kiln’s adorable Bread Series and Animal-Themed Bread series add unexpected and conversation-worthy detail to the table.

Japan’s love and appreciation for the seasons is reflected in the chopstick rests world, too.

Sakura: an icon of spring. When the cold winds of winter dissipate and new buds start to emerge, why not celebrate with these special little chopstick rests from Hozan Kiln?

What says summertime more than watermelon? We’re fans of these Kyoto ware watermelon chopstick rests.

The crimson of Japanese red maple and the gold of gingko are charmingly represented in these chopstick rests from Ihoshiro Kiln.

Camellias are an iconic winter flower in Japan. This set is a beautiful example of camellia-painted chopstick rests from Tosen Kiln.

It’s worth considering materials, as well, and the difference they can make to your table.

Now you know all about chopstick rests, we hope you feel inspired to enjoy them on your own table!