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Japan Hands You a Hot Towel — Don't Use It Wrong

To say wet hand towel in Japanese, say おしぼり (oshibori).

Sit down at a restaurant in Japan and you get a hot rolled towel — but it's NOT for your face.

oshibori wet hand towel

Beginner Cultural Wedge #japanesefood #learnjapanese #traveltips #japantravel #japaneticette

In this video

  1. お店で出てくる温かいおしぼり。顔は拭かないで! Omise de detekuru atatakai oshibori. Kao wa fukanaide! Sit down at a restaurant in Japan and you get a hot rolled towel. Don't wipe your face with it.
  2. これは「おしぼり」。手を拭くものだよ。 Kore wa 'oshibori'. Te o fuku mono da yo. This is an oshibori — it's for wiping your hands.
  3. 顔やテーブルを拭くのは、ちょっとマナー違反。 Kao ya tēburu o fuku no wa, chotto manā ihan. Wiping your face or the table is a bit of a faux pas — locals just do their hands.
  4. 夏は冷たいおしぼり、最高だよ。 Natsu wa tsumetai oshibori, saikō da yo. In summer, the cold version is the best.
  5. 無料で、手専用のおしぼり。保存してね。 Muryō de, te sen'yō no oshibori. Hozon shite ne. Free, hot or cold, and just for your hands 🤲 Save this 👇

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