Is "Itadakimasu" a Prayer? The Real Meaning Behind Japan's Pre-Meal Ritual
TL;DR — No, “いただきます” is not a prayer. It’s a uniquely Japanese expression of gratitude — toward the lives of the ingredients and the people who prepared the meal. “ごちそうさまでした” carries the same spirit and is said after eating. Neither is mandatory, but saying them will almost always make the Japanese people around you happy. These Words Became Second Nature In Japan, people say “いただきます” before a meal and “ごちそうさまでした” after. I have no memory of learning it — I must have picked it up from my parents without even noticing. ...