Sushi culture diversity | Japanese unique Culture

Do you know there are some kinds of Sushi culture in Japan 

 If you are a Japan-lover, you have eaten Sushi at least once. Even if not, you have seen a variety of people or celebrities eating Sushi and admire the food. You will find a lot of Sushi places in Japan even in the central part of Tokyo where hundreds of office buildings stand. Or when going to a rural area in Japan, you will also notice that Sushi food stores are hosting people there.

Sushi is such a thing that roots in Japanese culture. Today, we want to share with you how Sushi has become a part of our culture. Plus, we will introduce two main types of Sushi: Edomae and Kansai. When eating Sushi, we guess you are not told which kinds of Sushi you are served. But, they are different from each other in tastes, flavor, and etiquette. You can dive into a deeper understanding of Sushi with this article if you love Sushi in Japan.

Main features

The term “Edomaezushi” originally referred to sushi made from fish caught in front of Edo, or Tokyo Bay (Edo Bay). At that time, there were no refrigerators and transportation was not developed. Therefore, various methods of processing raw fish were used to make the fish last longer, such as by braising it with vinegar or salt, boiling it, or simmering it in sauce. In order to satisfy the hunger of the impatient Edo people in a short period of time, sushi was served at Yatai stalls, with the rice and the fish together. This was the beginning of Edomaezushi.

In contrast, in the Kansai region, the original method of preparing sushi dates back to the Heian period (794-1192). This style of sushi is different from the Edo-mae style, and is called “fermented sushi. Nare-zushi is a remnant of this style of sushi. Fermented sushi is made in a wooden mold and takes a long time to form.

Popular fish such as mackerel, horse mackerel, and saury were used. Later, box sushi was invented in which fish from the Seto Inland Sea, a thickly baked egg, sea eel, shrimp, and other ingredients were laid out in a pressed wooden frame along with sushi rice and beautifully shaped. This was the beginning of Kansai-zushi (Osaka-zushi). Later, Makizushi, Battera-zushi, and Bob-zushi became popular, and these were collectively called Osaka-zushi. Sushi in Osaka is not eaten in a restaurant like Nigiri-zushi, but you can often enjoy them as a lunch box for theatrical performances and excursions.

Source: Gentosho Gold Online

Shari Seasoning

Edomae-zushi and Kansai-zushi have long been different in style and enjoyment. The difference can also be seen in the rice (sushi rice), which is considered the supporting role of sushi. Kansai-zushi rice contains more sugar than Edomae-zushi rice, giving it a sweeter taste. Because oshizushi, which is the predominant type of sushi in Kansai, was often eaten after a long time, rather than immediately after it was made, more sugar was used to prevent the rice from drying up.

Also, unlike Edo-mae nigiri, Kansai-zushi uses larger amount of rice, so the rice is seasoned well by which you can enjoy the seasoning from the first to the end. As a remnant of this, sweet rice is still the norm in the Kansai region even today. In contrast, Edomae-zushi, which often adds a little extra effort to the ingredients such as shime or pickles, has a lighter rice to balance the flavors.

Types of Neta (fish)

Nowadays, you can enjoy a variety of nigirizushi with various ingredients not only in the Kanto region but also in the Kansai. But the types of ingredients sometimes differ from region to region. Typical items for Edomae-zushi include sea eel, kohada, and pickled tuna. Today, it is possible to preserve raw fish for long periods of time, and Neta has changed from only red meat of tuna to all parts of other fish meat. However, it is also true that Tuna has become an indispensable ingredient in today’s Edomae sushi; What kind of tuna they use is directly related to the “prestige” of a sushi restaurant.

In contrast to Edomae-zushi which focuses on tuna, many restaurants in the Kansai region focus on white fish. In the Seto Inland Sea, where the tides flow quickly, fresh white fish is readily available, and this has led to the culture of using those fish that do not fit into the Edo-mae sushi category. In fact, some sushi restaurants in the Kanto region dare not use sea bream because “it is not as good as sea bream from the Kansai region.

Unlike Edomae-zushi in which  the chef expresses his/her individuality by adding a few extra touches to the ingredients, people in the Kansai region tend to enjoy the taste of the ingredients as they are. The fact that sushi is served in a way that allows the fish to be enjoyed at its best, such as “please eat as is” or “please sprinkle with salt,” is also a characteristic of Kansai sushi.

Source: National Sushi Association

Sushi culture in Kansai for freshness, Kanto for ingenuity

In the Kanto region, many people let the fish rest for a while before using it. This process softens the meat and brings out the flavor of the fish. Recently, “aged sushi,” in which fish is aged for a long time, has become popular in the Kanto region. In contrast, in the Kansai region fish that have been Shime-ripened are often used immediately while they are still fresh. This state of fresh fish is called “ikkagu (alive). Fish in this state is characterized by its firm flesh and very chewy texture.

So it is in Kansai that the emphasis is on how fresh the fish is. In fact, some of the major conveyor-belt sushi chains that operate nationwide separate the ingredients they deliver for the Kanto and Kansai regions. In addition, Kombujime, a type of kelp-jime of white fish that is often seen in the Kanto region, is not so common in the Kansai region. In the Kansai region, where especially tasty white fish can be caught, it is generally eaten while it is still fresh and crunchy.

Source: Sushimasa

Culture and crafts that grew up with sushi

Essential to sushi culture are the knife and the plate. Japanese sushi is complete when there is a knife that can cut the fish without losing its freshness or flavor, and a plate that decorates the finished sushi. Just as each sushi restaurant and chef selects the ingredients and rice with great care, the knife and plate are also the parts of the sushi that show the individuality of the chef.

As previously mentioned in this article (Seki Knives), Japan is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of kitchen knives. In particular, Seki kitchen knives are indispensable items for sushi chefs, and orders for them arrive from all over Japan. Every year, Seki’s knife craftsmen receive hundreds of requests for knife sharpening. For sushi chefs, the sharpness of a knife is the lifeblood of flavor, so the role of Seki kitchen knives and the skills of its craftsmen in sharpening them is tremendous. It can be said that Seki knives have played a very important role in sushi.

What is a plate to sushi? The answer is the realm of color and art. Sushi, by its very nature, uses different ingredients depending on the season and region. The appeal of sushi lies in the plate that expresses the color and texture of the ingredients, as well as the seasonality of the food. Nowadays, there are sushi restaurants with dimly lit interiors to create a fashionable atmosphere overseas. This is not the true essence of a sushi restaurant, beyond the level of being a bad idea.

Japanese sushi restaurants are generally brightly lit, and the tables are simple and made of bright wood. The reason is that the space is prepared for customers to enjoy the sushi and the color of the plates. The restaurant’s interior is kept as simple as possible, and the plates add color to the sushi. This is what sushi is all about. I hope you understand how important plates (and the atmosphere of the restaurant) are to sushi.

Source: @Dime

Traditional Japanese crafts with Sushi culture

Since we are here, we would like to introduce some traditional Japanese crafts made by traditional techniques that have developed in connection with sushi. These are ready to be used as daily necessities, so please try to incorporate them into your daily life.

1. CHARCOAL KETTLE FOR ONE PERSON KEI STOVE SET (DIRECT FIRE & IH) | HOMUSUBI | CARBON PROCESSING

Pic©:BECOS

Pic©:BECOS

• Jointly developed with “Rakushin,” a famous Japanese restaurant that has been awarded a Michelin star for five consecutive years
• Excellent heat conductivity and far-infrared ray effect that cooks rice in 15 minutes

Price: 439.53 USD

Comment from Vendor:

You will be surprised when you see the price. But the HOMUSUBI charcoal pot series is worth it. With just one solid fuel, you can cook a hearty bowl of rice in just 15 minutes. All you need is rice, water, and 15 minutes of your time.

 This is an item that makes short work of cooking and allows you to recreate the taste of a first-class ryotei restaurant at home or at camp in a snap. We hope you will try this semi-permanent charcoal pot for a lifetime of use.

2. CHARCOAL FEATHER POT TATSU WITH WOODEN LID (DIRECT FIRE & IH) | HOMUSUBI | CARBON PROCESSING

Pic©:BECOS

Pic©:BECOS

Price: 411.36 USD

Comment by customers:

Delicious surprise!

Rice is very easy to early, and I was surprised and very delicious cook!
Eaten simply delicious rice every day, it is if take over from generation to generation, no not at all high! I thought.

The trousseau of daughter

My daughter is getting married, it
lets her have the trousseau. Just a good size to a couple of newlyweds, and
rice is delicious that son-in-law was also cooked here, It is said that pleased
me. We are very happy to buy. Although that cook the rice seems to be a center,
do you have use of also recommended to the other? I want to know if there is a
recipe and recommendations of cooking.

Summary

We are happy to see Japanese food culture seeping into other countries. We would also like them to learn more about it. But whatever the case, Japanese culture is unique and there are some aspects that are difficult to understand. Also, the fact that Japanese people are not very good at English limits the opportunities to introduce Japanese culture. In particular, Japanese culture and traditional techniques come from different sources, and few websites introduce the two in a related manner. This site will introduce more traditional culture and related technologies, so check it out!