I think that wasabi is like an indispensable companion for sushi, but why did you start adding wasabi to sushi? We looked into why.
Wasabi is indispensable for sushi
It’s a toon, but the taste of wasabi increases and becomes addictive.
Nowadays, this combination of “sushi + wasabi” is established as common sense, but in fact, the history of this culture is not that old.
Why on earth did wasabi come to be used?
Why put wasabi
First of all, the reason for adding wasabi is that it was not for enjoying the flavor in the first place, but for sterilization.
Allyl isothiocyanate (AIT), a spicy component of wasabi, has strong bactericidal power, can kill raw fish bacteria and prolong the shelf life.
Nowadays, refrigerators and freezers are commonplace, but in an era when electrical appliances have not yet developed, raw fish spoils quickly.
Nowadays, it is commonplace to sterilize with alcohol and use chemicals, but at that time, it is believed that the natural ingredients contained in wasabi were used to disinfect it.
In addition, by sterilizing with wasabi, it is possible to suppress the fishy smell. Wasabi was a necessary condiment to maintain its deliciousness.
Is wasabi’s partner soba noodles?
It is believed that it first began in the Edo period, when various food cultures developed.
Among them, the four major Edo specialty foods (soba kiri, tempura, eel, and nigiri sushi) are particularly popular, and although the specific time of the use of wasabi as a condiment of soba is unknown, in 1751 the “Soba Zensho” written by the Edo soba doji Nichi Shinsha Yusoba wrote that “yamaoi” is used as a substitute when there is no spicy radish.
This is the oldest piece of information about wasabi, and since the oldest food among the four major specialties is soba noodles, it is likely that the very first companion was soba noodles.
Penetration of sushi culture
In the Edo period, nigiri sushi was only positioned as “the local cuisine of Edo.”
It is said that it spread rapidly throughout the country from the Taisho period to the early Showa period, and it is said that the chefs affected by the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923) left Tokyo and moved to rural areas, and the food culture of Edo spread at once.
In addition, there were countless artisans who were expelled from Tokyo during the Pacific War, and it is said that this was a major reason why nigiri sushi spread.
However, at that time, “sushi” existed in various forms with characteristics all over the country, but there is a bigger reason why the current form of “nigiri sushi” spread throughout the Japan.
Is sushi a processing business?
In fact, in 1947, a decree called the “Emergency Measures for Food and Beverage Business” was issued Japan and the restaurant industry was hit considerably.
Under the food shortage after the war, the food service industry was regulated by the United States in a situation where food aid was received.
Naturally, sushi restaurants were also supposed to be eligible, but by negotiating with the sushi merchants’ union in Tokyo and [taking processing fees in exchange for a pair of rice and making 10-kan nigiri sushi], the sushi restaurant was able to obtain a license to operate as a “consignment processor” rather than a restaurant business.
As a result, sushi restaurants in each prefecture across the country adopted this method, and as a result, it is believed that the Edo standard “nigiri sushi with wasabi” spread.
Island sushi has mustard
By the way, in “island sushi”, which is said to have originated from Hachijojima in the Izu Islands, “mustard” is used instead of yamaoi.
When you think of sushi, you usually think of wasabi in it, but in the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, wasabi was not freely available in the past, so kneaded garashi was used instead.
It can be said that this island sushi is one of the various forms of sushi that have been found all over the country.
Trends in recent years
The combination of sushi + wasabi has spread rapidly, but in fact, it has not been seen much in recent years.
When you think of sushi, “conveyor belt sushi” is also a word that comes to mind, but many children use conveyor belt sushi, so sushi and wasabi are separated.
Not so long ago, “rust removal” and “rust removal” were distinguished by plates, but now almost all stores basically use “rust removal” without adding wasabi from the beginning.
In addition, even in supermarket packs, it is almost impossible to see sushi with wasabi in it from the beginning.
Perhaps, in Japan generations later, “wasabi in sushi” will no longer be commonplace. As a writer who loves wasabi, I would like to avoid such a future.
