Infographic: How to Eat Sushi Correctly

Customs are very important in Japan, and there are precise rules and codes to follow when doing things that many of us would consider to be mundane tasks. Two of the most visible examples of this in the Western world revolve around food: the traditional tea ceremony — which is complicated enough that most outsiders don’t attempt it — and eating sushi, which most of us do with flagrant disregard for how it’s supposed to be done. Thankfully, some kind soul created this infographic to teach us how to eat sushi the proper way.

I’m pretty stoked that it’s completely acceptable to use your fingers to eat a piece of sushi — I had never even tried the stuff before I moved to New York five years ago (sad, but true) and my chopstick skills are still painfully underdeveloped. Unfortunately I still prefer to do almost everything on the “don’t” list, so it looks like I won’t be impressing any Japanese businessmen with my sushi etiquette anytime soon.

But there’s still hope for you! Brush up on how to eat sushi the right way and you’ll be ready for a culturally sensitive foodie trip to Japan in no time: