Now that coronavirus restrictions have been eased, it has become easier to travel abroad.
I often see scenes on TV or YouTube of foreigners exclaiming, “The sushi is the best!”
In May 2023, when “Kura Sushi” opened in Taiwan as its first overseas expansion, it was reported on the news that 300 people formed a line 40 minutes in advance.
Why is sushi so popular among foreigners?
I would also like to know about the popular sushi ingredients that foreigners like!
This time, we will introduce the reasons why sushi is popular among foreigners, as well as introduce popular toppings and impressions of the restaurants.
Why is sushi so popular among foreigners?
Japanese food is now attracting attention from all over the world.
Foreign tourists enjoy traveling not only for shopping, but also for eating delicious and healthy Japanese food.
The economic effect is also great.
I think one of the factors is that modern people have reconsidered the importance of food in order to stay healthy in an age of overeating.
The fact that sushi is healthy, the ingredients have become easier to procure, the spread of rice all over the world, and the spread of sushi robots have made it easy for people to eat sushi all over the world. It is thought that it has become popular.
The average life expectancy of Japanese people in 2023 will be 84.3 years, the highest in the world.
If you live in Japan, you can eat sushi for granted.
In fact, when I feel like it’s too much of a hassle to prepare a meal, I can easily go to conveyor belt sushi and eat what I like.
We live in a convenient era where you can repeat as many dishes as you like, and you can eat as much as you like depending on how empty your stomach is.
The eating habits of the Japanese people have attracted attention from all over the world, and sushi in particular has become a representative food.
As a Japanese person, I’m very happy.
Procuring sushi ingredients has become more convenient, and items such as soy sauce, vinegar, gari, and fish are now available in other countries.
If the materials are available nearby, the cost will be low.
Rice has also changed to the point where it is grown in Europe and America as well.
And we Japanese are also benefiting from sushi robots.
With the spread of sushi robots, you can now eat it at conveyor belt sushi chains at a low price.
There is no longer a need for sushi chefs overseas.
What is the development of raw food culture in Japan?
In the first place, there is almost no custom of eating raw fish overseas.
In Hawaii, there is a dish called “poke” that uses fish from the Polynesian coast and is seasoned with seasonings, but that recipe dates back to the 20th century.
Italian carpaccio was invented in Venice in 1950.
Korean “fe” differs from Japan in that it always uses live fish, and there is almost no red meat, only white meat.
From a Japanese perspective, poke and carpaccio are like variations on sashimi, so they can eat them without any hesitation.
Apparently, sushi is a food culture unique to Japan, so other than “poke,” “carpaccio,” and “fe,” there seems to be no food culture in other countries that eats raw fish.
On the contrary, I am surprised!
Overseas, raw fish is considered dangerous, with fears that it may cause food poisoning or contain bacteria or parasites.
I’ve also heard that squid and octopus are like aliens and are not edible.
Indeed, aliens resembling squid and octopuses have appeared in foreign films.
For Japanese people, a funamori of live sea bream is seen as a luxurious hospitality dish, but I hear that overseas people are turned off by the fact that the head of the fish with its eyes still attached is served on a plate.
The tuna dissection show is a part of Japanese culture that can only be done by someone with a qualification as a dismantler, but I hear that it is surprising for foreigners to see the tuna dissection show.
I was actually surprised that someone was looking at me like that.
Japan, which has developed such a unique culture, has three characteristics that make it different from other countries.
An island country surrounded by the sea
Freshness is important when eating raw fish.
Japan is surrounded by the ocean and is surrounded by four ocean currents.
We are blessed with the Oyashio Current, Kuroshio Current, Tsushima Current, and Liman Current, where we can eat delicious fish.
If Japan had lived inland, there might not have been a culture of eating raw fish.
The spread of sharp Japanese knives also played a role in the availability of sashimi.
Because Japan is surrounded by the ocean, we can eat delicious raw fish.
It’s a happy thing!
Food preservation culture
In order to preserve food’s freshness for a long time, sterilizing products such as wasabi and soy sauce were introduced in the Asuka period and soy sauce in the Muromachi period.
It started being used in the Edo period, and nigiri sushi was invented around that time, so it feels like it has a long history.
It’s amazing that people knew that wasabi and soy sauce had a bactericidal effect and prevented mold in a time when there were no refrigerators.
World’s best hygiene management
Japan is a country with the lowest incidence of food poisoning compared to the rest of the world.
Hygiene management is said to be the best in the world.
Therefore, foreigners visiting Japan can eat sushi with peace of mind.
Top 5 topics popular among foreigners
It seems that many foreigners eat raw fish for the first time when they visit Japan.
Sushi has now become a common language around the world.
On the contrary, there are some foreigners who come to Japan simply because they want to eat sushi.
We will introduce you to the top 5 sushi toppings that are popular among foreigners!
1st place salmon
Salmon seems to be the most popular dish not only among foreigners but also among Japanese people.
It is by far the most popular in Asia, Europe and America.
Some foreigners are okay with salmon, but not other raw fish.
Perhaps the secret to its popularity is that it is arranged like a California roll.
2nd place tuna
Tuna is a familiar fish in Europe and America, where it is used for sautéing and frying.
Lean meat is said to be healthy and especially preferred.
Japanese people feel that Toro (fatty tuna) has a luxurious feel, but many foreigners seem to be shocked by its richness.
3rd place sushi roll
Why are sushi rolls so popular even though foreigners are not familiar with seaweed?
The sushi rolls that foreigners like are called ura-maki, which has nori seaweed on the inside, and sushi that can be eaten even by vegetarians because they are wrapped only with vegetables.
Apparently, they shy away from pitch-black seaweed.
However, when they come to Japan, they seem to be very interested in the traditional sushi rolls.
Japan has beautiful sushi rolls that can be considered art.
I want people to be impressed when they see the skillful and delicate Japanese sushi rolls.
4th place shrimp
In foreign countries, there are shrimps and lobsters, so shrimps seem to be popular.
It doesn’t have a fishy smell either.
Best of all, it’s easy to eat since the shell has been removed, and it’s easy to eat once it’s steamed.
However, many foreigners seem to like Amaebi because it is sweet and soft.
5th place scallop
Scallops are a familiar ingredient even to foreigners.
In Europe, it has long been valued as a symbol of fertility .
In addition to its enjoyable texture, it seems to be popular because it has no odor and is light in taste.
Impressions of the store from foreigners
Americans say that sushi is definitely cheaper in Japan.
Japanese sushi is cheap and delicious!
Nowadays, conveyor belt sushi allows you to eat as much delicious sushi as you want for just 100 yen.
The sushi where you can eat precious raw fish is fresh and delicious!
Japanese sushi rice is sweet and delicious!
Wasabi is not as spicy as I expected and is delicious!
It seems to be highly rated.
Compared to sushi from overseas, the ratio of vinegar to rice in Japanese sushi is exquisite.
Many people seem to prefer shari to toppings.
summary
We have introduced the reasons why sushi is popular among foreigners, popular toppings, and impressions of restaurants.
It turns out that the reason for the popularity among foreigners is that sushi, a representative of Japanese cuisine, has spread all over the world as health consciousness spreads and Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world.
The most popular toppings are salmon in 1st place, tuna in 2nd place, sushi roll in 3rd place, shrimp in 4th place, and scallops in 5th place, probably because it doesn’t have a fishy smell and is used as a foreign ingredient and is easy to get to.
When eating sushi at Japanese restaurants, not only the toppings but also the sushi rice is said to be more exquisite and delicious than in other countries, and it seems to be one of the most popular sushi dishes.
The sushi eaten overseas is modified in a foreign style, and some are arranged in a way that makes sushi feel more familiar, and it seems that sushi is being incorporated into the diet as something more familiar.
It’s great to see that Japanese food culture is being reevaluated by the world!
