JAPANESE TABLE SETTING

From traditional to relaxed, there are many ways to serve a meal

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Presentation is an important component of Japanese cuisine, and knowing the correct placement for each dish adds an extra touch to any meal.

Table settings can vary depending on the occasion, style and degree of formality. However food author Makiko Itoh says the most typical type of Japanese meal is known as ichiju sansai, which means one soup and three sides.

Here Makiko explains four ways to create a Japanese-style setting.

A YOSHOKU WESTERN-STYLE MEAL

If you are serving a yoshoku Japanese-style Western meal, and you are providing a knife, fork and spoon, all you need to do is place them as you would for any Western-style meal - knife and spoon on the right, fork on the left. If you are just providing a fork, you can place it on the right, or where the chopsticks usually go, directly in front of the diner.

Often, yoshoku meals are accompanied by a plate or bowl of plain rice. When this is the case, the rice is served on the left, as with a Japanese-style meal, and the main side dish is placed on the right.