Where did sushi originate? The origin and history of sushi explained in an easy-to-understand manner.

Speaking of sushi,
Sushi is a Japanese soul food known around the world!

Although it is a Japanese dish, not much is known about the history of sushi.
Despite being a Japanese food, not much is known about the history of sushi.

In this article, we will look at the origin and history of sushi,
the birthplace, origin, and history of sushi.
and its history.

Where is sushi born? 【About the origin of sushi】

The birthplace of sushi is not Japan!

Known all over the world as a Japan food,
The origin of sushi was
It originated from fermented foods practiced by the mountain peoples of Southeast Asia.

That is what is called “ripe sushi”.
It was a preserved food with a strong sour taste made by pickling and fermenting fish in rice.

Only fish can be eaten these days,
It is said that the fermented and mushy rice was thrown away.

This was later introduced to China and then to Japan.

History of Sushi

The history of sushi is
It starts with “ripe sushi” handed down from China.

That’s how
Will Japan evolve into its own “sushi”?
We will introduce the history of sushi according to the times.

Nara period【History of sushi】

Around the time of the Nara period,
“Ripe sushi” was introduced from China.

Ripe sushi is made by cooking grains such as rice and wheat,
Stuff fish etc. in it
It is a food fermented with the power of lactic acid bacteria.

It is treated as a kind of health food,
In Japan, it was made mainly in Kyoto and Shiga.
(* Shiga Prefecture’s famous “Funazushi” is said to be a typical example)

Related: Shiga Prefecture’s local cuisine (specialty dishes) [History is also explained]

Heian period【History of sushi】

In the Heian period,
Ripe sushi will also be made in the Tokai and Western Japan regions.

However, ordinary people do not say it.
It was a valuable food that was eaten by the nobles of the imperial court and some monks.

Muromachi period【History of sushi】

In the Muromachi period,
I can still understand the prototype of rice.
While fermentation is not sufficiently advanced
You will be able to eat ripe sushi.

This way of eating is called “raw sushi” or “half rece”,
Not only fish but also rice can now be eaten together.

Also, the ingredients are not limited to fish,
Wild vegetables and vegetables will also be used.

Azuchi-Momoyama period【History of sushi】

In the Azuchi-Momoyama period
With the beginning of vinegar,
“Hayasushi” was born, which substitutes vinegar for the sourness of lactic acid fermentation.

Hayasushi served with seafood as it is on vinegared rice
It is the origin of today’s pressed sushi.

Edo period【History of sushi】

In the late Edo period
“Nigiri Sushi” was born.

I devised
It is said to be Hanaya Yobei of Yobei Sushi,
This is what is called “Edomae sushi”.

Edomae Sushi
Sushi using seafood from Tokyo Bay,
Do you use vinegar to improve preservation?
It was common to pickle it in soy sauce.

Grab that Edomae sushi at a stall on your way home from work
That is the stylish way of eating Edo children,
Shrimp, mackerel, kohada, egg, sea bream, conger eel, etc.
It was a popular story at the time.

From the Showa era to the present day [History of sushi]

Nigiri sushi, pressed sushi, etc.
Although sushi with characteristics of each region is born,
With the Second World War, sushi restaurants could no longer operate.

After the war, in 1947, in the form of commissioned processing
It seems that the sushi restaurant has finally been able to reopen.

Eventually, even during the period of high economic growth
Sushi was still a high-end dish.

Meanwhile, sushi became commonplace.
It is the appearance of “rotating sushi”.

When the first rotating sushi was made in 1958,
We also opened a takeaway sushi restaurant in the next fiscal year.

And
In the 1980s, with the improvement of refrigeration technology,
Sushi rapidly spread among the common people,
It will change from being treated as a luxury item to something that can be easily eaten.

In this way, sushi culture is now not only for Japan people.
Because it is popular with foreigners,
It has become so indispensable that many sushi restaurants have been established overseas.

At last

In This Article
The birthplace and origin of sushi,
I explained the history in a simple and easy-to-understand manner.