James Silverton wrote:
> George wrote on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:56:43 -0500:
>
>> James Silverton wrote:
>>> Chemiker wrote on Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:19:37 -0600:
>>>
>>>>> On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:12:29 GMT, notbob > wrote:
>>>
>>>>> We use chopsticks a lot here at home and they also get
>>>>> included with carry-out Chinese or Japanese from many
>>>>> places in the area . I live 25 miles from NYC. Sometimes
>>>>> the Chinese places do not include chopsticks, but the
>>>>> Japanese always do. In fact, if one gets sushi at a market or
>>>>> grocery store, chopsticks are put into the bag.
>>>
>>>> I think you went straight for the jugular, Man. How do you
>>>> eat sushi/sashimi with a fork/spoon? Stix work wonderfully. After
>>>> all, Form follows Function.
>>>
>>> I'm a chop stick enthusiast but I have to admit that you
>>> could eat sushi or sashimi with a fork and spoon perfectly
>>> well but chopsticks add to the ambience.
>>>
>> In Japan there is nothing wrong or unusual with using your
>> fingers to eat sushi and it is a common way people do it.
>
> But finger bowls may be provided for cleaning fingers. The original
> method for sushi stalls in the market place was to rinse your fingers in
> the last of your tea and wipe them on the stall curtain. Hence the stall
> with the best sushi had the dirtiest curtains!
>

Usually they bring a hot towel to clean your hands. From observation the
only time people use hashi to eat sushi is say for the bento box they
picked up at the train station etc.