Chopstick rest facts for kids

A pair of chopsticks made from yew on a wooden chopstick rest

A typical Japanese meal: chopsticks on a chopstick rest at the front side of the dishes, pointing to the left

A chopstick rest (箸置き, hashioki) is a piece of tableware. It is used to keep chopsticks away from the table and also to prevent used chopsticks from coming in contact with or rolling off tables. Chopstick rests are made in various shapes from clay, wood, glass, or precious stone such as jade. Some people prepare them from bags of half-split disposable chopsticks in origami manner.

In Japan, chopstick rests are usually used at formal dinners and placed on the front-left side of the dishes. The chopsticks are placed parallel to the table edge with the points toward the left.