A Short History of Sushi

The Beginnings of Sushi

Sushi has been around for a surprisingly long period of time, although not in its present
form. The history of sushi is an interesting tale of the evolution of a simple dish. What
was to become sushi was first mentioned in China in the second century A.D. Originally,
sushi arose out of a way of preserving food. Fish was placed in rice and allowed to
ferment, which allowed an individual to keep the fish edible for some time. The rice was
thrown away and the fish was eaten when needed or wanted.
The method spread throughout China and by the seventh century, had made its way to
Japan, where seafood has historically been a staple. The Japanese, however, took the
concept further and began to eat the rice with the fish. Originally, the dish was prepared
in much the same manner. In the early 17th century, however, Matsumoto Yoshiichi of
Edo (now Tokyo) starting seasoning the rice with rice wine vinegar while making his
‘sushi’ for sale. This allowed the dish to be eaten immediately, instead of waiting the
months it might normally take to prepare the ‘sushi.’
The Evolution of Sushi
In the early 19th century, a man by the name of Hanaya Yohei conceived a major
change in the production and presentation of his sushi. No longer wrapping the fish in
rice, he placed a piece of fresh fish on top of an oblong shaped piece of seasoned rice.
Today, we call this style ‘nigiri sushi’ (finger sushi) or “edomae sushi” (from Edo, the
name of Tokyo at the time) and is now the common way of eating Japanese sushi. At
that time, sushi was served from sushi stalls on the street and was meant to be a snack
or quick bite to eat on the go. Served from his stall, this was not only the first of the real
‘fast food’ sushi, but quickly became wildly popular. From his home in Edo, this style of
serving sushi rapidly spread throughout Japan, aided by the Great Kanto earthquake in
1923, as many people lost their homes and businesses and moved from Tokyo.
After World War Two, the sushi stalls were shut down and moved indoors, to more
sanitary conditions. More formal seating was later provided (the first iterations were
merely an indoor version of the sushi stalls) and sushi changed from ‘fast food’ to a true
dining experience. Sushi spread around the globe, and with the advent of the promotion
of seafood, this unusual style of serving fish was quickly adopted by western cultures,
always eager for something new, especially something that had grown as sophisticated
and unique as sushi.
Modern Sushi
Sushi, the artful dining experience once uniquely Japanese, has now evolved to another
level beyond the traditional Japanese methods. Western influences have given rise to
new styles of sushi, such as California rolls and the many elaborate ‘fusion’ creations at
upscale sushi restaurants. The history of sushi is a long one, at least 1,800 years in
fact, but the current iteration is popular around the world, and rightly so. It is not often
that something so singly cultural can not only take the world by storm, but also influence
the direction of food in other cultures. Demand for sushi is only increasing and seems to
be continuing to evolve. Traditional sushi restaurants sit alongside ‘fusion’ restaurants
and both are popular for their own reasons. The history of sushi is still far from over.
Sources: https://www.sushifaq.com/basic-sushi-experience-information/the-history-of-sushi/