What is agari that you hear at a sushi restaurant?
This time, I would like to introduce the term “agari” used at sushi restaurants.
Agari is green tea.
“Agari” refers to green tea, a type of tea served at sushi restaurants. So why is green tea the tea of choice at sushi restaurants? One of the reasons is said to be that the raw fish used for sushi can contain fat. Green tea contains a component called catechin, which is said to play a role in aiding the digestion of fat. Therefore, it seems that green tea is served, which is suitable for neutralizing the oiliness of fish and keeping the mouth fresh.
In addition, green tea includes Gyokuro, which is known as a high-quality tea, and Sencha, which is made by steaming, but most sushi restaurants serve powdered green tea called Konacha. It is said that this is because its rich yet refreshing taste goes well with sushi. Konacha, which is powdered tea leaves, does not release its fragrance unless it is poured into hot water. For this reason, sushi restaurants use thick teacups so that you can hold the food even when it’s hot. Green tea is chosen not simply because it is a common drink in Japanese cuisine, but also because it goes well with sushi.
Origin of agari
There are various theories as to why tea is called “Agari”. In the hanayagi world where geishas worked, the word “agari” used to refer to the “last thing.” For this reason, it is thought that the term “agari” has become commonplace at sushi restaurants, meaning the tea served at the end of a meal.
Also, in the Hanayagi world, geishas used to draw tea with tea mortars in their free time, so it was said that “tea” = “leisure”, an unlucky word. Therefore, there is a theory that it was called “Agari”, which is an auspicious word for going up to the tatami room when a customer calls you to bring good luck. It is difficult to pinpoint the specific origin of “Agari,” but it is thought to be based on Japanese tradition, culture, and etiquette.
Agari is a word used by the store.
The expression “agari” for tea is an industry term used by the chef to tell the waiter when to serve the tea after the customer’s meal, so it is incorrect for the customer to call the tea “agari.” Therefore, when a customer wants tea, it is not appropriate for them to say, “Please give me agari.”
There are terms unique to sushi restaurants, such as “murasaki” for soy sauce and “oaiso” for accounting, but you need to be careful as these are all words used by the restaurant itself.
