Scotland Rugby Team coached in Japanese etiquette ahead of the World Cup 2019

Japanese food may not be the first thing you associate with rugby, but ahead of the World Cup in Japan this year, the Scottish team has been coached on local etiquette and cuisine by an Edinburgh restaurant.
The players learned the correct etiquette and how to use chopsticks at Harajuku KitchenThe players learned the correct etiquette and how to use chopsticks at Harajuku Kitchen
The players learned the correct etiquette and how to use chopsticks at Harajuku Kitchen

Chef patron Kaori Simpson and her team at Japanese ­restaurant Harajuku Kitchen provided the players with an informative presentation on cultural etiquette which included the correct way to eat and local customs.

The afternoon provided a chance for the players to experience authentic ­Japanese cooking and learn more about the country’s culture ahead of their visit to the country in September.Kaori and her team served an extensive range of traditional Japanese dishes including sushi and Kara-age chicken Japanese curry, using ­recipes which have been passed down through her family for generations.

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Japanese cooking focuses mainly on using fresh produce and balance of both carbohydrates and protein.

Kaori said: “It was a great honour to work with the ­Scottish rugby team and teach them about Japanese ­culture. The dragon rolls and nigiri sushi were particularly popular.

“They had just come from a training session so as you can imagine they were keen to refuel.”

The presentation included an introduction on the correct etiquette for eating various dishes such as miso soup, sushi and noodles and the players were taught how to correctly use chopsticks.

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Kaori also gave the team, including players and coaches, translations of popular dishes so that they would be comfortable ordering food in a ­restaurant, as well as phrases that will come in useful for their time in Japan.

She also warned the ­players that it is considered rude to pour a drink for yourself.

Gregor Townsend, Scotland Rugby coach said: “There are a number of challenges that await us in the tournament, starting with facing some ­quality teams in our pool as well as adapting to Japan’s unique environment.”

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