Many studies say that chopsticks were imported from China in the sixth century and developed into "Hashi". You may have noticed that hashi is different from chopsticks in China or Korea. The shape and material of hashi has evolved to match the rice grown in Japan and the seafood based Japanese meals in 1,500 years of its history.

 

Hashi has been considered as a tool to bridge humans and food. Food is traditionally considered to be blessings from nature, farmers and the gods, and hashi connects the blessings with the diners. Some studies even say that the name "hashi (箸)" originated from the word "bridge (橋)" which is also pronounced as hashi but written differently. The certainty of this is unknown but this story describes how Japanese feel about hashi. It cohers with thankfulness to food. 

 

In Japan, each family member has their own set of hashi. If the hand size is different, obviously, you need your own set of hashi. Generally, dad has the longest, mom's a little shorter, and kids have the shortest ones that fits their hands. This is unique compared to other cultures. Start from choosing the right hashi for you and expand the joy of Japanese cuisines.