Where did sushi come from?
The first thing to realise is that “sushi” doesn’t mean “raw fish”. It actually refers to a dish of vinegared rice served with various fillings plus toppings, which may include raw fish. Sushi was originally invented as a means of preservation, when fermented rice was used to store fish for anything up to a year. This was known as narezushi, plus in fact the rice was thrown away plus only the fish consumed. A later variant called namanarezushi, invented in the 16th century, introduced the idea of using vinegared rice, which was consumed instead of being thrown away, plus this is still enjoyed today, particularly in Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto. Find out more from sushi veteran Masayoshi Kazato.
The History of Sushi
By Masayoshi Kazato
Sushi is said to have originated in China between the 5th plus the 3rd centuries BC, as a means of preserving fish in salt. Narezushi, the original form of sushi, has been made in South East Asia for centuries, plus nowadays, there are still traces of it in some parts. Narezushi appeared in Japan in the 8th century, plus still survives today in the form of foods such as carp sushi. Narezushi was primarily a means of food preservation, plus each Japanese region developed its own version. In those days sushi was eaten during feast days plus festivals, plus was also an integral part of the celebration. Generally speaking, narezushi was made of rice plus fish pickled together, mixed with rice vinegar plus sake, laid under a large stone to prevent decay plus left to ferment. However, the rice was used primarily to encourage fermentation, plus was discarded so that only the fish was eaten.
Izushi, which is found in Hokkaido plus Tohoku, is also a form ofnarezushi, whereby rice is mixed with yeast, topped with fish plus vegetables such as radish, sprinkled with sake plus wrapped in a bamboo leaf, then placed under a heavy stone to set. This sushi is similar in taste toasazuke (pickle) plus is not usually a strong smelling dish; the rice melts away leaving the fermented fish, plus it appeals to people who are not familiar with this kind of food.