Sushi, especially nigiri sushi, was originally a very common food. There are no etiquette rules about how to eat food, and you can eat it however you like, but there are ways to eat it more deliciously and beautifully.
Here, the Sushi Mania Editorial Department, who has published many books on sushi, will explain how to eat sushi. Recommended for people who want to learn more about sushi!
table of contents –
What you need to be careful about is how to use soy sauce.
Is it okay to eat with your hands? Or is it correct to eat with chopsticks?
How should I eat special sushi?
Learn how to eat sushi cleanly!
How to eat deliciously by picking it up with your hands
How to eat cleanly using chopsticks
Examples of special ways to eat “Nigirizushi”
There are no rules for how to eat sushi, but be careful about manners and how you eat it.
What you need to be careful about is how to use soy sauce.
First of all, adding too much soy sauce to the sushi rice (shari) spoils the flavor of the sushi. This is a way of eating that will disappoint sushi restaurants. The root of the flavor of nigiri sushi lies in the harmony of the flavors of fresh seeds and sushi rice. From a sushi restaurant’s point of view, soy sauce serves as a complement to the flavor and as an accompaniment, and it would be a problem if the taste of soy sauce became the main character.
Therefore, it is best to put a little soy sauce on the seeds, and avoid putting it on the sushi rice as much as possible. Additionally, if you dip it in too much soy sauce, the sushi rice will fall apart and become difficult to eat.
Also, eating nigiri sushi by peeling the seeds, dipping them in soy sauce, and putting them back on top of sushi rice, or eating the peeled seeds and sushi rice separately will also disappoint sushi chefs.
In the old days of nigiri sushi, the seeds were firmly attached to the sushi rice and did not come off, so the sushi rice was held much more tightly. By squeezing the nigiri sushi, the deliciousness of nigirizushi was created, which is different from eating sashimi and rice separately. Although the grip has become much softer, the harmony of the flavors of the seeds and sushi rice remains the basis of the flavor of nigiri sushi. If you peel it off, the flavor will be lost.
Is it okay to eat with your hands? Or is it correct to eat with chopsticks?
There is a theory that eating with your hands is the best way to eat, but there is actually no basis for this theory. Nigiri sushi originated from street food stalls, where customers would stand and eat the sushi by picking it up with their hands. It was bad manners to eat while standing outside and using your hands. It was also unsanitary, as he wiped his hands with a curtain after picking them. This led to eating while sitting in the restaurant, and eventually people started eating with chopsticks.
Therefore, there is no reason why you are an amateur if you eat with chopsticks.
However, this does not mean that you have to eat with chopsticks. If you pick it up with your hands, it’s easier to put soy sauce on it, you’re less likely to spill sushi rice, and it’s easier to cut it in half. It is best to use a method that is easy to eat with your hands or chopsticks, and that also looks nice. By the way, if the sushi is too big to eat in one bite, you can also ask the chef to cut the knife in half.
How should I eat special sushi?
There are some types of sushi that are difficult to eat, such as gunkanmaki and sushi with plenty of seasonings. How should you eat such sushi?
Sushi that has been coated with boiled rice should be eaten as is. For Gunkanmaki, sushi topped with condiments, etc., it is difficult to add soy sauce to the strength of the seeds, so we recommend using gari soaked in soy sauce and dipping the seeds in soy sauce. By the way, there is no problem in eating the salty parts of Gunkanmaki, such as salmon roe, as is.
Learn how to eat sushi cleanly!
How to eat deliciously by picking it up with your hands
- First, wipe your hands with a towel, press the middle of the sushi with your fingertips, and lay it down. Gently pinch the sushi using your thumb, index finger, and middle finger.
- Twist your wrist slightly and apply a little soy sauce to the sushi noodles. You can also add a small amount of soy sauce to the sushi rice.
- Bring the seeds to the bottom with the seeds facing down. Eat at the right time to avoid ruining the sushi.
How to eat cleanly using chopsticks
- Lay the sushi on its side, then pick up the sushi noodles and sushi rice by using chopsticks on both sides.
- Bend your wrist slightly so that the sushi noodles are facing down, and apply a little soy sauce to the tip of the sushi noodles.
- Place the sushi noodles side down in your mouth and eat in one or a half bites. The reason why we place the sushi on the bottom is to first taste it with our sensitive tongues.
Examples of special ways to eat “Nigirizushi”
- Sushi topped with gunkanmaki or condiments such as sea urchin or salmon roe tends to be difficult to add soy sauce to. Sometimes the staff at the restaurant will put soy sauce on it for you, but it’s best to use gari and put soy sauce on it.
- Pick up an appropriate amount of gari, put it in a soy sauce dish, and add soy sauce. Gari is used as a substitute for brushing, and soy sauce is put on top of gunkanmaki or sushi topped with condiments.
There are no rules for how to eat sushi, but be careful about manners and how you eat it.
I often see foreigners having a hard time eating sushi, but there is no proper etiquette when it comes to sushi. However, this is not limited to sushi, but the bare minimum of etiquette is to eat without making the restaurant staff or customers uncomfortable.
