DAE realize they've been accidentally breaking a major cultural rule?

I was in Kyoto last year and learned my habit of sticking chopsticks upright in rice is a funeral rite. Has anyone else had a moment like this where you were totally unaware of a serious taboo?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily3601mo ago

oh man the chopstick thing is rough. i remember reading a travel blog where this american guy talked about how he kept doing it at a family dinner in japan and the mom literally started crying. like apparently the upright rice thing is for funerals and they thought he was cursing their house or something. i also saw a video about how in some parts of india you're not supposed to touch people's stuff with your feet or point your feet at someone's altar. its wild how many rules we just stumble into without knowing.

thomas2911mo ago

Yikes, that's a major oops moment for sure.

henrygrant1mo ago

Oh man, @thomas291, that reminds me of the time I accidentally sent a rant about my neighbor's loud music to the neighbor himself. Took me a solid hour to realize why he was suddenly so quiet.