The Art of Slurping Noodles

Answering the burning question of why people in Japan do this, how to slurp a bowl of noodle soup without ruining your shirts, and the role of chopsticks.

Kamo nanban, a hearty soba noodle soup with leeks and duck slices. Photo courtesy of the author.

It is awe-inspiring seeing my husband effortlessly inhale each bite of noodles as if they were naturally connected to him by a thread of fate, breathing it in…