What’s the proper way to drink ozoni broth at a Kyoto dinner?

[Stephen19]

I’ve been invited to a formal dinner in Kyoto and I’m unsure how to properly handle the ozoni soup that will be served—specifically, whether it’s acceptable to drink the broth directly from the bowl or if I must use the ladle for everything.

[John91]

In Kyoto formal dinners you lift the bowl with both hands and sip the broth directly. The chopsticks handle the bits. The ladle is not used for sipping the ozoni

[JohnA]

Honestly I was not sure either. I saw people sip straight from the bowl and others poke at the mochi with chopsticks. It all felt awkward either way

[RichardA]

Am I overthinking this or is the real issue the pacing and the small talk of the room?

[William54]

I tried to follow the host and copy what they did. It felt natural and the broth tasted good. I did not spill anything