History

Sushi originates from the practice of preserving fish by fermenting it in rice for months, a tradition which can be traced back to ancient Japan. It was originated during Tang Dynasty in China, though modern Japanese adopted sushi evolved to have little resemblance to this original Chinese food. The Japanese name "sushi" is written with kanji (Chinese characters) for ancient Chinese dishes which bear little resemblance to today's sushi. When the fermented fish was taken out to be eaten, only the fish was eaten and the rice was discarded. The strong-tasting narezushi which is made near Lake Biwa resembles the traditional fermented dish. Starting in the Muromachi Period (1336–1573) in Japan, rice vinegar was added to the mixture which accentuated the sourness of the dish and made its life span longer, while allowing the fermentation process to be shortened and eventually abandoned. The following centuries saw the development of oshi-zushi in Osaka, where seafood and rice were pressed into wooden moulds, and this dish arrived in Edo (present-day Tokyo) in the middle of the 18th century. It was in Edo that this evolved into what is known as Edo-mae zushi in the early 19th century, using fish freshly caught in "Edo-mae" (Edo Bay). At the time, it was considered a cheap meal for the common people. It is this Edo-mae zushi which is popular today throughout Japan and the world.