In Japan, the back street sushi bars, full of workers eating sushi with their hands are the best by far - not the best food, but the most delightful of experiences - the pride every sushi chef has in his food, and the laughter of two people with no common language trying to communicate, but sharing a love of food is just the best.
In Japan, people usually eat nigiri sushi, and toward the end of the meal they often order a simple roll like a cucumber roll. Ordering this is almost a signal to the chef that you are finishing. In the US, I often see people order many big rolls with fried ingredients and treat them as the main dish. Those types of rolls are not very common in traditional sushi places in Japan.
Nigiri is fish or another ingredient placed on a small hand pressed mound of vinegar rice. When eating with your hands, hold it with four fingers. Place your index and middle fingers gently on top of the fish, and support the rice with your thumb and forefinger. When dipping into soy sauce, only the fish should touch the soy sauce, never the rice. Slightly turn your wrist downward so the topping touches the soy sauce.
If you use chopsticks, turn the sushi sideways and hold it gently from the left and right sides. Then dip the fish side into the soy sauce. Not everyone knows this trick, even in Japan, but it is the proper way.
Rolled sushi is usually not shared. If sharing is necessary, restaurants normally provide serving chopsticks. Among family, people often just pick it up with their own chopsticks in one motion. Using the thick end of chopsticks to take food is uncommon in Japan. If anything, people either use serving chopsticks or simply pick it up normally.
Wasabi is usually not mixed into soy sauce. The chef typically places the right amount of wasabi between the fish and the rice. Some chefs ask if you want wasabi or not. Mixing wasabi into soy sauce is not considered rude even at expensive sushi counters, but it can overpower the taste of very good sushi. On average sushi it can sometimes improve the flavor, just from personal experience.
Another etiquette when sitting at a sushi counter is not to bang your wristwatch on the counter. The counter is often made from very old and expensive wood. Some of these counters can cost as much as a new Lambo. Many Japanese remove their watches and place them on the table or in their pocket.
Japan has many small unspoken manners like this. People usually do not point them out directly because Japanese tend to like to avoid confrontations. If you do these, the chefs and staffs will bow at you with deep respect and will remember you
Wow....thank you so much. I love learning things like this. I never considered ignorance being an excuse for doing something inconsiderate to other cultures.....it can be a reason, but not an excuse. I always understand that I don't know everything and try to ask....and know that I'll still do things wrong. haha.LOL that is so true about sake. They will keep refilling your cup until you are finished or politely refuse. If you enjoy sake, you should try a 10 year aged one if you haven't already. It can be outrageously expensive, sometimes around $2k for a small bottle, but it is incredibly smooth and sweet, nothing like regular sake.
The culture here is to leave things clean and orderly for the next person. It may come partly from the idea of respecting spirits in Shinto. Since tipping is not allowed, people often show appreciation by leaving things tidy and making the staff's job easier. Stacking bento boxes, arranging plates, or wiping small spills on your part of the table are simple gestures that contribute to harmony and are widely appreciated. So you see sports stadiums are spotless clean after matches because people clean their seats and collect trash voluntarily. It's crazy
If you live here long enough, sometimes you would feel like turning into a monk because the culture here sort of forces you to it. I don't know if it's good or bad thing, just a very different culture.
Wow....thank you so much. I love learning things like this. I never considered ignorance being an excuse for doing something inconsiderate to other cultures.....it can be a reason, but not an excuse. I always understand that I don't know everything and try to ask....and know that I'll still do things wrong. haha.
The Wasabi between the fish and rice is interesting. What is the reason for preferring Nigiri over rolls, or sashimi? I don't dislike Nigiri, just not typically my first choice.
Can you a post a picture of some of this fancy nigiri next time you go? Or is that something that would be frowned upon in Japanese culture? I'm not sure what the food photo etiquette is over there, but come to think of it, you have shown us some dishes before... who could forget the eyeballI am glad you enjoyed my long write. I'm a sushi lover myself, so I enjoy writing and talking about it.
Nigiri takes years of training, and usually only the most experienced chefs prepare it properly. Rolls are often made by apprentices because they require less skill. For example, when making nigiri, the chef must be able to cut the fish correctly, handle very hot rice, and form the rice mound in a split second. If it takes too long, or if the rice mound is not the right shape or firmness, the taste of the nigiri can change. Holding the sushi too long can also affect the temperature, which impacts the flavor. Because of this, many Japanese people associate sushi more with nigiri than with rolls.
When I go to five star sushi places here, the chef usually expects me to order nigiri rather than rolls. Nigiri is what truly defines whether a sushi place is great or just average. Skilled chefs often go to the fish market very early in the morning, sometimes around 3 or 4 am, to select the catch of the day. Then they use techniques learned through many years of training with their sensei to prepare each piece of nigiri. Of course, high end sushi restaurants usually have their own suppliers, but the best ones often have the chef personally select the catch.
I think Iām going to have to hit a good sushi place tomorrow. Just thinking about it is making me hungry
Can you a post a picture of some of this fancy nigiri next time you go? Or is that something that would be frowned upon in Japanese culture? I'm not sure what the food photo etiquette is over there, but come to think of it, you have shown us some dishes before... who could forget the eyeball
