Is it Okay to Slurp Noodles in Japan?
Japanese hospitality, sometimes called omotenashi, is praised as being a step above the rest of the world. With this reputation for elegant respect and ceaseless courtesy, travelers fresh off the plane and hungry for their first authentic bowl of Japanese ramen may be in for a shock. Lift the curtain and step into any ramen restaurant in Tokyo to be met with a loud symphony of slurping noises as customers happily squelch down their noodles. Your inner etiquette may scream…