This one is the odd one out in my collection, but it is also a very useful one. It gives brief introductions to lots of topics concerning manners and I reach for it surprisingly often. It’s published by the Japanese hotel and restaurant service association and is mainly used as a textbook for their table manners teachers.
Things that might be especially interesting to foreigners: how to correctly pick up chopsticks and dishes, Introduction to Japanese tea (not tea ceremony!), dresscodes, how to eat Kaiseki, where to sit in a tatami room, absolute no go’s and much more. It covers such a great array of things – from super basic but also super practical information like: how to open the lids of soup lacquerware and where the heck to put them?! What not to do with your chopsticks – there are so many more NG’s than “don’t stick it in your rice”. All the way to – which seat in a tatami room is for the guest of honour, what kinds of Sake even are there and what to do if there is no dedicated place for your chopsticks.
Personally I think that it might be a very popular little book for people who do business in Japan – if only it got translated into English! (If you know a publisher who would be interested feel free to hit me up :D)
Kaiseki at Home 
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