1. Japanese restaurants often provide a small hot towel called an oshibori. This is to wipe your hands but not your face. You may see some Japanese wiping their faces with their oshibori, but sometimes this is considered bad form. If you must use your oshibori on your face, wipe your face first, then your hands.

In a Japanese restaurant, you are often presented with a small, damp towel called an oshibori. The proper etiquette is to use it primarily to clean your hands before the meal begins. When you receive it, you should unfold it, wipe both hands thoroughly, and then neatly fold or roll it back up and place it on its tray or the table beside your setting. It is generally considered impolite or unrefined to use the oshibori to wipe your face, neck, or the table surface, although in very casual settings or on extremely hot days, a quick dab of the forehead is sometimes tolerated. Once the meal starts, if you need to wipe your fingers (especially when eating sushi by hand), you can use a corner of the towel. However, for wiping your mouth during the meal, you should use a paper napkin if provided. After you have finished your meal, the oshibori remains on the table; you do not take it with you. This ritual is a significant part of Japanese hospitality (omotenashi), symbolizing a transition from the "outside" world to the clean, shared space of the dining experience, and respecting the towel reflects your appreciation for the host's attention to your comfort and hygiene.