Welcome to Episode 11 of Real Japanese Talk with Haruka & Saki! 🗼🐙

In this episode, Saki shares another mishap from her foreign intern: he ate ramen elegantly and silently like a French dish — and the ramen shop owner came over worried, asking "Is it not tasty?" Because in Japan, silent eating sends the WRONG message.

Haruka breaks down one of the most fascinating contradictions in Japanese culture: slurping is not rude — it's a compliment to the chef. You'll learn the 3 surprising reasons Japanese people slurp their ramen, the simple rule that solves all Japanese dining etiquette confusion, and why "noodles getting saggy" (麺が伸びる) is a real word in Japanese.

Master this and you'll never get a worried look from a ramen chef again.

【Today's Vocabulary / 今日の言葉】

・すする (すする) - To eat by audibly drawing in noodles or soup. In Japan, this is considered the correct way to eat ramen, udon, and soba — and it serves as a sign of "this is delicious" and "I respect the chef." Note: many Western cultures view this as bad manners, so context matters.

・マナー (マナー) - Etiquette and table manners. A loanword from English "manners." Japanese dining manners are distinct in that they change depending on the dish or situation: slurping is correct for noodles, while other dishes should be eaten quietly. Bowls (ochawan) can be lifted, but plates cannot — each dish has its own rule.

・冷ます (さます) - To cool down something hot — to lower its temperature. 「ふーふー冷ます」 (fū-fū samasu) is the act of blowing air to cool food, often used affectionately by parents feeding their children. 「冷めないうちに食べる」 (eating before it cools) is a basic dining etiquette in Japan. Antonym: 「温める」 (to warm up).

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Transparency Disclosure: To maximize your learning experience, this podcast is produced using Google's generative AI technology for precise scriptwriting and clear, high-quality audio generation.