Shortage of Chopsticks Worries Japan as China Goes Ecological

[Itsme]

Shortage of Chopsticks Worries Japan as China Goes Ecological
Saturday, May 13, 2006

TOKYO — Walk into any Japanese noodle shop or restaurant and chances are you'll be eating with a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks from China. But not for long.

In a move that has cheered environmentalists but worried restaurant owners, China has slapped a 5 percent tax on the chopsticks over concerns of deforestation.

The move is hitting hard at the Japanese, who consume a tremendous 25 billion sets of wooden chopsticks a year — about 200 pairs per person. Some 97 percent of them come from China.

Chinese chopstick exporters have responded to the tax increase and a rise in other costs by slapping a 30 percent hike on chopstick prices — with a planned additional 20 percent increase pending.

The price hike has sent Japanese restaurants scrambling to find alternative sources for chopsticks, called "waribashi" in Japanese.

"We're not in an emergency situation yet, but there has been some impact," said Ichiro Fukuoka, director of Japan Chopsticks Import Association.

A pair of waribashi that used to cost a little over 1 yen — less than 1 cent — now goes for 1.5 to 1.7 yen. The rising costs of raw wood and transportation because of higher oil prices have also contributed to the rise, industry officials said.

[nickel]

why not plastic or metal washable and reusuable chopsticks?

[Cheesypuff]

because the east is turning into the west as far as consumerism goes.

[LegendKiller]

There is a guy on Arstechnica's boards that sold titanium chopsticks, I got my boss a set a while ago, he loves them.

[Airencracken]

Titianium chopsticks?! Linky?!

[VTGreg]

Call me crazy but I am a big fan of wood chop sticks. The textured surface makes them much easier to use than materials with a smooth surface.

[Cheesypuff]

has nobody ever heard of RESUABLE wood chopsticks?!?!?

[MikeD]

has nobody ever heard of RESUABLE wood chopsticks?!?!?

Or, has anybody ever heard of these:


http://www.fishseddy.com/prodimg/ONDT029FDNF.JPG


These puppies tend to do the trick just fine...

[oblongmelon]

yeh, how come forks aren't a big seller over there? I realize it's a cultural thing-but comeon..it's 2006~!

[Cheesypuff]

Or, has anybody ever heard of these:


[IMG]=snip/IMG]


These puppies tend to do the trick just fine...


LOLOLOL

I personally find the highpoints of both tools. I lean more towards the chopsticks tho. I find it barbaric to stab and jab food. It's an art to firmly grasp it. (with the occasional stab and jab with the sticks)

[LegendKiller]

Call me crazy but I am a big fan of wood chop sticks. The textured surface makes them much easier to use than materials with a smooth surface.


The titanium ones had a textured tip...looking for link.

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/57909216/m/317004305631/p/6

Bottom has a hotmail email for the dude.

[Houdini]

There is a guy on Arstechnica's boards that sold titanium chopsticks, I got my boss a set a while ago, he loves them.


Titanium sounds like a good idea. Nice and light, like the typical chopsticks.


has nobody ever heard of RESUABLE wood chopsticks?!?!?

Nope. And if I did, I wouldn't use them. Wood is too porous. Metal and plastic can be cleaned well.

[DarkFury]

I guess China will be "forking" over more cash to buy chopsticks.... :heh:


Bumpity bump bump... CRASH!!!!


/me falls over.... from the bad joke. :thud:

[Itsme]

I spent 6 months in Korea a few years ago. Most restaurants use metal chopsticks. This would be the same idea a metal forksa in a restaurant here...washable/reusable.

The only thing for me was that they were so smooth that a novice like me had some problems picking up some small, very smooth food items.

It is amazing how much easier it is to use wooden ones that have a rough surface.

[JackHammer]

yeh, how come forks aren't a big seller over there? I realize it's a cultural thing-but comeon..it's 2006~!


So you're saying that because it's 2006, everyone should conform to western culture?

[Merlin]

LOLOLOL

I personally find the highpoints of both tools. I lean more towards the chopsticks tho. I find it barbaric to stab and jab food. It's an art to firmly grasp it. (with the occasional stab and jab with the sticks)
:stupid: Stabbing food and shoveling it into your mouth is just so much less civilized than carefully picking it up and placing it in your mouth.

[DarkFury]

It is amazing how much easier it is to use wooden ones that have a rough surface.
How about some "textured" plastic ones? Faux wood chopsticks... :D

[molecularfire]

yeh, how come forks aren't a big seller over there? I realize it's a cultural thing-but comeon..it's 2006~!
Personal bias obviously but IMO chopsticks work better than forks. When you're using a fork, it is hard to get small things like rice into your mouth. Now, if you're eating lets say mongolian beef with rice for instance a chopstick can get the rice and the meat separately whereas a fork would get the meat only after mashing up the rice underneath and it isn't very good at getting the rice and if your bowl is full spilling some of the rice out of the bowl. Also, when you're at the end of the bowl, it is very hard with a fork to get the last bit of rice from the bowl so if I don't have chopsticks, I generally have to switch over to a spoon to finish the meal. Also, try eating noodles in soup with a fork, it is possible but much easier with a chopstick. Different tools for different jobs... it's just that asian food tends to be easier to eat with chopsticks.

[dougadam]

You can't be serious.

[DarkFury]

Eating is easier with chopsticks.... yeah right.

But then again, I'm not trying to eat my Chinese food one rice grain at a time. :heh:

BTW.. as far as those last grains of rice at the end of the bowl.... turn the fork sideways and scrape them into "the playing field" so you can scoop em up. Problem solved. :D

[ufcrusher]

Titanium sounds like a good idea. Nice and light, like the typical chopsticks.



Nope. And if I did, I wouldn't use them. Wood is too porous. Metal and plastic can be cleaned well.

Typically the wooden chopsticks that you buy are laquered. We have a few nice pairs of them that we received as wedding presents as part of a large set.

[molecularfire]

You can't be serious.
Nah, I'm dead serious... that's kinda my point. If you're going to criticize someone for seeing things differently than you (not you specifically, more aimed at generalizations in this case) consider the fact that different people have different things that they're better at and different comfort levels. If I was eating for example a steak, I wouldn't use a pair of chopsticks... fork and a knife is just a better tool for the job... if you're eating noodle soup or stir fry over rice, chopsticks work better than forks. I just didn't like her implication that using chop sticks was outdated and barbaric. Simple as that.

[bachviet]

Chopsticks are easier for eating rice and noodle.

[VNMZ]

I like the bamboo ones. They're really easy to use.

[cheapie]

Chopsticks are easier for eating rice and noodle.


hahah...right. if you bend over close to the bowl and shovel it in w/the chopsticks i guess you're right.

[bachviet]

hahah...right. if you bend over close to the bowl and shovel it in w/the chopsticks i guess you're right.
You are not well-trained in using chopsticks. :P You should pick up the bowl instead of bending over. I probably gets my a$$ whooped if I bend over to the bowl instead of picking the bowl up. :D

[cheapie]

lol. naw. i'm just saying that when i see employees of the asian restaurants eat the giant bowls of rice i wonder how they can do it with the chopsticks until i see them doing what i described. but maybe they do pick up the bowl and i didn't notice that. i'll pay attn next time.

i like eating with chopsticks because i eat a lot less with them. i'm usually a very fast eater and wolf down a lot of food in a short time w/a fork. but with chopsticks i have to take my time and usually end up eating about half of what i would have eaten w/regular utensils.

[Airencracken]

I love all the ethnocentric fork lovers around here. :rolleyes: Personally I like chopsticks.

[gaemul]

better start bringing your own, just ask them to wash it for you first

[cheapie]

I love all the ethnocentric fork lovers around here. :rolleyes: Personally I like chopsticks.


what? obby was the only one that said anything about forks. and isn't it just as "ethnocentric" to like chopsticks?

[InfiniteNothing]

As a hungry man, I find forks to be much faster. Hunger takes precedence over sophistication. :P My favorite foods require no utensils: Pizza, for instance. Hurray for incisors.


You don't sew with a fork, so I see no reason to eat with knitting needles. Piggy-Miss Piggy ;)

[Markel]

On my two trips to Japan, I've managed ok with chopsticks.

I remember on a return flight on JAL a number of years back, they built in "culture shift" in the in-flight meals. The first meal had a definite Japanese bent (and included chopsticks with the food tray). But the last meal was quite "American", and only included western utensils. I watched with a bit of amusement as the (Japanese) passenger next to me diligently searched the tray, then reluctantly opened up the silverware packet and struggled with the fork. Guess it works both ways. ;)