Before journeying on your quest to eat Sushi in Japan, make sure you learn the essentials of sushi etiquette first! With this beginner’s guide, you will be well on your way to becoming an expert in sushi culture.
No matter if you love more contemporary sushi rolls, or authentic sashimi and nigiri, eating sushi is always a delightful experience. If you haven’t tried sushi before, you may be wondering if there is a correct way to eat it. No matter what sauce you prefer dipping your food in, or whether you prefer eating with chopsticks or not, there is no wrong way to eat sushi.
We have got all your questions covered in this guide, including helpful tips that even some sushi connoisseurs may not know about.
Naturally, not all sushi restaurants have the same setup, but there are a few rules that every sushi chef does follow, and you will expect on your arrival. Firstly, you will receive a plate with your chosen sushi, as well as chopsticks and sauces such as soy sauce on the table to use at your leisure.
Eating with your hands is also acceptable and you will not be frowned upon for doing so, so long as you are comfortable during your sushi eating experience. Your plate will likely come complete with sushi rolls, a generous dab of wasabi sauce and pickled ginger, for those looking to add a kick to their dish. The pickled ginger helps to cleanse the palate to prepare you for the next dish.
Receive your plate of sushi from the chef and dab a small amount of soy sauce on the side.
Dip your chosen sushi into the soy sauce, and if you want to add extra spice, use your chopsticks to brush a little bit of wasabi onto the sushi.
Chew the sushi completely, allowing the flavour to coat the inside of your mouth.
Take a piece of pickled ginger from your plate and eat it, to help remove any lingering flavours, and move on to the next dish until you have run out of sushi!
It is recommended that, as a beginner, you start with sushi as a classic roll in order to figure out what your flavour preferences are. Once you have tried a sushi roll, you can move on to nigiri, which consists of raw fish and rice, or sahimi which is slices of raw fish only.
All sushi rolls start with the essentials, with the fish wrapped in seaweed and rice, but sushi chefs are known to get super creative at this stage to make delicious tasting rolls.
Philadelphia Roll – Salmon, avocado and cream cheese.
King Crab Roll – King crab and mayonnaise.
Boston Roll – Shrimp, avocado and cucumber.
Spicy Tuna Roll – Tuna and spicy mayo.
California Roll – Imitation crab, avocado and cucumber. The crab is cooked, so this is the perfect solution if you are hesitant about eating raw fish.
Spider Roll – Tempura soft-shell crab, avocado, cucumber and spicy mayo.
Everyone has different tastes and it is important to ask for help if you are not sure on something. Let the itamae (chef) know if you want some assistance in finding your perfect sushi, to make the experience a really enjoyable one!