History of sushi

Bowl of Sushi by Hiroshige (1797–1858). Makizushi with rice rolled in tamagoyaki (front) and nigirizushi with shrimp (back).

The history of sushi (すし, 寿司, 鮨, pronounced [sɯɕiꜜ] or [sɯꜜɕi]) began with paddy fields, where fish was fermented with vinegar, salt and rice, after which the rice was discarded. The earliest form of the dish, today referred to as narezushi, was created in Japan around the Yayoi period (early Neolithic–early Iron Age).[1] In the Muromachi period (1336–1573), people began to eat the rice as well as the fish.[2] During the Edo period (1603–1867), vinegar rather than fermented rice began to be used. The dish has become a form of food strongly associated with Japanese culture.[3]

The inventor of modern sushi is believed to be Hanaya Yohei, who invented nigiri-zushi, a type of sushi most known today, in which seafood is placed on hand-pressed vinegared rice, around 1824 in the Edo period. It was the fast food of the chōnin class in the Edo period.[4][5][6]

  1. ^ Lee, Cherl-Ho; Steinkraus, Keith H.; Reilly, P. J. Alan (1993). Fish Fermentation Technology. United Nations University Press. pp. 15–16. ISBN 9788970530031.
  2. ^ Barakan, Peter. "Japanology Plus Sushi". NHK World. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  3. ^ Barakan, Peter. "Begin Japanology". NHK World. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  4. ^ "The Mysteries of Sushi - Part 2: Fast Food". Toyo Keizai. 23 May 2015. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017.
  5. ^ "When Sushi Became a New Fast Food in Edo". Nippon.com. 22 December 2020. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Sushi". Nihonbashi. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021.