After several years of training, an apprentice may be promoted to the position of "wakiita," which translates to "near the cutting board."
The wakiita also learns proper ways to interact and treat restaurant's customers by observing senior itamae.
After additional years of training as a wakiita, the apprentice can be appointed as an itamae, fully authorized to stand in front of the cutting board.
It is a common Japanese legend that a truly great itamae-san ("san" is an honorific suffix) should be able to create nigirizushi in which all of the rice grains face the same direction.
Itamae training is conducted all over the world, including Japan, the USA and the UK.