Sushi: Japan's Most Recognizable Dish

Sushi is made from vinegared rice that is usually combined with raw seafood, vegetables, or other foods to prevent them from spoiling. Long before the age of refrigerators, sushi became a smart preservation method.

Nigiri zushi (sushi) incorporated seafood caught from the oceans around Edo, and was thus called Edomae (“Edo-style”). It could be made on demand for customers at food stands, which served the needs of those who wanted to eat quickly, aligning perfectly with the mentality of Edoites.

There are two types of shari (the name for sushi rice) in Edomae sushi. Shiro shari (white vinegared rice) is made from clear rice vinegar, while aka shari (red vinegared rice) is made from red vinegar, a sweeter vinegar made from sake lees. These two varieties of shari form the fundamental flavor of sushi.

A brushing of nikiri sauce provides the finishing touch to Edomae sushi. Nikiri sauce — made from soy sauce, sake, and mirin — covers the sushi toppings, giving them a more glossy sheen.

Tsume is traditionally made by reducing previously made broth. Many sushi shops continuously add freshly made sauce into their existing tsume for richer flavor. Some shops have built continuously on the same sauce since their founding.