Traditions
When you go to drink Sake (Japanese rice wine) with Japanese, you might be surprised from the traditions that are done while drinking it. While Japanese do understand if you do not know them, and with friends these traditions are not done so much anymore, it is still good to know them, so here are some traditions involving sake.
The first and foremost thing to remember is that you should always take care that other’s glasses don’ t run dry. When the sake arrives, it is custom that the lowest in position pours the drink of the person highest in position. After that, and while drinking, everyone pours for everyone. And remember before you drink you need to Kampai (cheers)
When you pour sake from a bottle or a small sake bottle (called tokkuri), you should ideally hold the bottle with two hands: one on the neck and one underneath. Also, when you are having your drink poured, you hold your glass (small sake glass called sakazuki or choko) with two hands as well.
When you have had enough, you should make sure that you don’t finish your last cup. It will get refilled until eternity (like your plate in China would be), so if you don’t need any more sake, just leave your cup full.
When it’s time to pay the bill, usually the person in the highest rank picks up the tab. Mind you though, that this is kind of an old tradition and is sometimes no longer observed in more modern (and especially more friendly) settings. So, bring your own wallet too just to be sure.