Etiquette in Japan been used. In Japanese restaurants, customers are given a rolled hand towel called "oshibori". It is considered rude to use the towel to wipe the face or neck; however, some people, usually men, do this at more informal restaurants. Nonwoven towelettes are replacing the cloth "oshibori". In any situation, an uncertain diner can observe what others are doing; and for non-Japanese people to ask how to do something properly is generally received with appreciation for the acknowledgment of cultural differences and expression of interest in learning Japanese ways. When using toothpicks, it is good etiquette to cover one's mouth with
Oshibori 2004. The word oshibori comes from the Japanese word , meaning "to wring", with the honorific prefix "o-", which is added to several types of nouns, including many nouns related to washing or food; onigiri/omusubi (お握り and お結び) "rice ball" follows the same pattern – see honorific prefix usage. In Japanese script, the word oshibori is normally written in hiragana (おしぼり), seldom using kanji (お絞り or 御絞り). Oshibori are also known as "o-tefuki"; "tefuki" refers to ordinary handkerchiefs, and these derive from the Japanese (hand) and , to wipe. In mājan parlors, the words "atsushibo" and "tsumeshibo", from the Japanese