Types of Sushi

After the fermented nare sushi was replaced by quickly prepared sushi rice, many different types of sushi have locally evolved throughout Japan. They are all related in the fact that they use sushi rice, but differ in shapes and ingredients. Unlike the Edo style sushi, most of them use cured or cooked ingredients.

Osaka Style Sushi

Osaka cuisine is known for their light seasoning, and they have a great amount of pride in their food culture. Osaka style sushi use cooked ingredients such as grilled sea eel, egg omelets and simmered dried tofu.

Futomaki (Thick Roll): A thick sushi roll which uses a variety of cooked ingredients.

Hakozushi  (Box Sushi): Sushi pressed in a box. The ingredients are placed on the top. Cured  
                                           mackerel sushi called the battera is  the most famous boxed type sushi.

Nuku Sushi (Steamed Sushi): Sushi rice and ingredients are individually packaged in dried bamboo                                                          leafs and steamed before they are consumed.

Kyoto Sushi

Kyoto is located in inland Japan, and it was difficult to obtain fresh fish in the old days. They only had the option of using cured fish, or fish that did not spoil too quickly. Kyoto is also known for their unique vegetables, and they are often flavored by simmering and used as ingredients.

Saba Sushi(Cured Mackerel Sushi): Cured mackerel and sushi rice are formed in an oval pole and                                                                      wrapped in kelp. They are cut in individual pieces.

Hamo Sushi (Pike Conger Sushi): The pike conger are grilled and formed into an oval pole with sushi                                                                rice. They are garnished with sweet soy sauce glaze and cut into  
                                                               individual pieces.

Temari Sushi (Ball Sushi): The sushi and ingredients are formed into a ball. All ingredients are                                                              cooked or cured. Simmered vegetables are used as ingredients as well.

Kaki No Ha Sushi (Persimmon Leaf Sushi)

Kaki no ha sushi are local to Nara or southern central Japan. They are box pressed sushi using cured salmon, or mackerel wrapped in persimmon leafs. Persimmon leafs are known to have anti bacterial properties, and sometimes they are salted to increase the effects.

Sasa Sushi (Bamboo Leaf Sushi)

Sasa no ha Sushi (sasazushi) are local to northern Japan. They mainly use cured trout and wrapped in bamboo leafs before they are boxed and pressed. Bamboo leafs are known to have anti bacterial properties.

Shima Sushi (Island Sushi)

Shima sushi (shimazushi), or island sushi are local to the Izu islands (mainly Hachijyo Island) located south of the Tokyo bay. It most likely derived from the Edo style sushi, and they use raw ingredients. The only difference is that they immerse all the sashimi in soy sauce infused with green chili peppers and use hot mustard instead of wasabi. The sushi are prepared into nigiri or a chirashi. Shima sushi is also called bekko (amber) sushi since the ingredients become dark brown after immersing them in soy sauce.

Inari Sushi

Inari sushi is also a Edo (Old name for Tokyo) cuisine, but not a Edomae sushi. It is sweetly flavored fried tofu pouches stuffed with sushi rice. The inari sushi gets its name from a messenger from god in the form of a fox which loved to eat tofu pouches.