Sushi
“Sushi” is now synonymous with Japanese culture. In this article, I will explain sushi as a Japanese culture, such as general definitions and types of sushi, and manners when eating. Please use it as knowledge to enjoy sushi more deliciously and more enjoyably.
The freshness of the material is the most important
Sushi is a Japanese dish with mainly seafood on top of vinegared rice. There are various kinds of fish and shellfish on top, and you can taste sushi according to the season. The freshness of the ingredients is especially important for sushi.
Sushi has a long history, and it is said that the origin of sushi is a fermented food called “Nare Zushi,” which was devised as a method for long-term preservation of fish in the 8th century. In the second half of the 17th century, instead of waiting for the rice to ferment, a method of adding vinegar to the rice was created. This became the more sophisticated and world-famous current style, but initially it was treated as a stand-up food (fast food).
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Currently, the most popular sushi is “握り寿司nigiri zushi“, sometimes called “江戸前寿司 Edomae zushi“. “江戸まえEdomae“means the sea in front of Edo (former name of Tokyo)” and “Edo-style “. Among the seafood used in sushi, Toro, which has a high fat content, is highly prized and popular.
Low-priced conveyor belt sushi
In addition to nigiri sushi, there are sushi rolls, inari sushi, chirashizushi, sushi, and other sushi that is unique to each region in Japan.
The counter type is common, and the food is displayed in the refrigerated showcase placed at the counter, and the craftsmen hold sushi according to the customer’s order. For sushi, there are “favorite” to get your favorite material and “leave it to” to get the recommendation of the craftsman, and in addition, there is a set menu. Some high-end sushi restaurants in Japan do not have a price display.
In recent years, conveyor belt sushi, which allows you to choose what you want to eat, has become firmly established as small plates with various types of sushi pass through a dedicated conveyor. With its unique form based on the conveyor belt of a beer factory, it is becoming popular as a fashionable store in major cities around the world such as London and New York.
How to eat sushi and manners
Do you like chopsticks? Do you have a good hand?
It doesn’t matter whether you eat it with chopsticks or by hand. If you are not used to using chopsticks, it may be safer to eat them by hand. When holding it in your hand, use your thumb to hold the rice and your index and middle fingers to hold the rice.
Where do you put the soy sauce?
It’s best to add a little soy sauce to the ingredients. If you put it on the rice, it will inhale too much soy sauce and spoil the taste of the ingredients.
Can I chew?
Grip and roll, if possible, in your mouth at once. It’s unsophisticated to squeeze. By the way, when you put it in your mouth, it’s best to put the ingredients on your tongue instead of the rice.
Perfumes and cigarettes. Watch out for the smell!
In addition, it is also important to be careful when entering counter shops, especially high-end shops, with too much perfume. The best part of sushi is to thoroughly enjoy the taste of the ingredients. Don’t forget to be considerate of other customers. Recently, the number has decreased, but even if smoking is OK, I would like to smoke after refusing a word.
Can I enter without making a reservation?
Popular stores have the advantage of being easy to drop in.
This is one good thing, but reservations are a must at so-called high-end sushi restaurants.
In the first place, high-class sushi restaurants have a small number of seats, so many restaurants cannot be fully booked unless you make a reservation.
In addition, sushi restaurants must pay the most attention to the management of ingredients among restaurants.
I don’t buy more in case of an emergency than in a high-end store where the price of the material is high.
After all, it is necessary to know the number of customers in advance.
Order to eat sushi
I think there are surprisingly many people who are concerned about the order in which they eat sushi. In general, the order of “light to dark” seems to be the best.
Specifically, it seems good to start with light-tasting foods such as Thai and squid, and gradually eat fatty foods such as fatty tuna and well-seasoned conger eels.
However, there are no rules for this, so it would be great if you could find your own way of eating while trying various things. Don’t be too nervous and feel free to order.
How to order sushi at a high-end sushi restaurant or counter
The sushi at the counter is kind of nervous, but it doesn’t have to be too clever. As mentioned above, it is recommended to eat in the order you like, but you can order what you like.
Let’s enjoy the atmosphere of the place, such as asking a craftsman (also called Itamae) for “recommendations”.
However, please note that the price may be difficult to understand when ordering “Recommended” that is not on the menu.
How to order at a casual sushi restaurant, Kaitenzushi
The basic manners are the same, but since it’s a big deal, I want to enjoy the casual atmosphere that is unique to rotating.
Especially if you are going with your family or traveling with children, we definitely recommend rotating sushi. We also have a wide selection of desserts. You can pick up the plates that come around, or you can order directly from the craftsmen and staff.
Prices are often categorized by the color of the plate. Before ordering, check the menu on the table.
Thank you for reading! ありがとう。 Namu Shinnyo ■
