A sushi master trains for a decade before touching the fish. The rice — body-warm, slightly acidic — is the foundation that most sushi outside Japan gets wrong.
About Sushi & Sashimi
Japan's most refined culinary art — vinegared shari rice pressed by hand around or beneath a slice of neta (fish or seafood) in the Edo-mae style that originated in Tokyo's Tsukiji district; the itamae (sushi master) trains for a decade before touching the fish; served at the counter and eaten immediately; the temperature of the rice (body-warm), the knife angle and the sourness of the rice are the variables of a lifetime.
The itamae (sushi master) trains for a decade — two years learning to cook the shari (vinegared rice) before touching the fish. The rice is the foundation: body-warm (body temperature, not fridge-cold), slightly acidic, pressed with just enough pressure to hold without compressing. The fish is sliced at a specific angle for each variety to expose the correct muscle fibres.
“The itamae (sushi master) trains for a decade — two years learning to cook the shari (vinegared rice) before touching the fish.”
Tokyo-style (Edo-mae) sushi uses cured, aged and lightly prepared fish rather than purely raw — a tradition from before refrigeration when fish was preserved by curing with salt and vinegar. The flavours are subtler and more complex than simple raw fish.
What to Expect
At an omakase counter in Tokyo the chef prepares each piece individually, placing it on the counter in front of you. You eat immediately. The rice is warm. The fish is at room temperature. The combination is brief and complete.
Why Try It
Sushi is the dish that requires the most trust in the cook — you eat what you're given, in the order it arrives, and find that the sequencing was designed for the experience.
Insider Tips
- For genuine sushi, sit at the counter (not a table) and order omakase (chef's choice).
- Eat each piece immediately after it's placed in front of you — sushi waits for no one.
- Sukiyabashi Jiro (Tokyo) has a 3-month wait. Midrange omakase counters deliver comparable quality.
