Japanese food has garnered a considerable amount of attention in recent years due to its amazingly healthy properties and clean, balanced flavors. Though Americans have grown familiar with sushi and other cornerstones of Japanese cuisine, many still find it difficult to break through all the barriers, protocols, and – yes – cases of mistaken identity that continue to surround the dishes to this day. With these quick tips, those interested in learning more about sushi have a solid place to start before moving on to the advanced courses.

11. Dip pieces of nigiri sushi into soy sauce (shoyu) topping side first.

Rice soaks up shoyu quickly, overpowering the delicate vinegar flavoring. While it may be awkward at first, turn nigiri pieces upside-down so that the sauce covers the topping instead. This allows diners better control of their condiments and does not compromise taste.

12. Eat nigiri pieces upside-down.

Doing so brings out the complex, carefully balanced flavors in the sushi best. Eating nigiri rice-first may cause palates to predominately taste the light, starchy vinegar over the topping.

13. Eat nigiri pieces in one or two bites.

Most nigiri comes with a subtle smear of wasabi between the topping and the pillow of rice. One to two bites ensures that the diner consumes the piece as it was meant to be tasted – with all ingredients painstakingly playing off one another. Three or more bites may mean missing out on all the itamae’s carefully constructed crafting.

14. Place several small orders instead of one large order.

Even with specials, sushi is not cheap or easy to make. Ordering too much early on could result in a very expensive waste of time and pricy ingredients. Some places even charge extra for uneaten food because of this. Ask for sushi pieces a few at a time and dine at a pace that works with both time and budget in order to prevent such squandering.

15. Pour shoyu sparingly.

Again, prudently utilizing condiments minimizes waste, but cultural implications are also at play here. Pouring too much soy sauce may be interpreted as an insult to the sushi chef’s abilities, implying that his skills at balancing flavor are sub-par and require masking with liberal amounts of shoyu.

16. There are several ways to use wasabi…

Some sushi fanatics swear by the smear, placing a little bit of wasabi on top of a piece before consumption. Others swirl it into a tiny puddle of soy sauce. There is no love lost between the two groups, who argue over which method is proper. In reality, both techniques work just fine.

17. …but please don’t go overboard.

As with the aforementioned shoyu example, an overuse of wasabi potentially signals a displeasure with the itamae’s culinary prowess.

18. Sit at the sushi bar.

Any newcomer to the sushi scene must sit at the bar itself. This allows for a firsthand glimpse of the chef at work, familiarizing them with the process and facilitating conversation with the itamae when he or she has a moment to talk. Watching the amazing artistry behind the food certainly nurtures an appreciation for Japanese cuisine and everything that goes into crafting it, regardless of whether or not a diner ultimately enjoys sushi.

19. When sitting at the bar, only order sushi or sashimi from the itamae.

Every other request, whether for drinks, soup, tempura, noodles, or other dishes, should be directed to the waiter or waitress. Leave the chef to pay attention to doing what he or she does best.

20. Never inquire about freshness.

Asking outright about the freshness is rather insulting to the hardworking men and women who must pick out the best fish, shellfish, and vegetables available on a daily basis. There are ways to inspect for freshness simply by observing the pieces served and the ingredients themselves on display at the bar. If ever there are doubts about the quality of the ingredients used at a sushi bar or restaurant, do not even bother eating there at all.