When it comes to culturally focused cuisines, every nation has a favourite. For those from the UNited States, it’s the cheeseburger; for Italians, pasta; for the Finnish, sausages.
Much of the love for a food is often based on deep cultural history, and when it comes to the Japanese, one of their favourite dishes in the world is sushi, something that’s far from a secret.
In fact, coming across an eatery in Japan that serves sushi doesn’t take more than a few minutes of searching, and it’s such a popular meal within the country that many Japanese people eat it on a daily basis. Here we will explore the importance of sushi to the Japanese, why it’s so popular, and how common it is to come across.
1. Sushi As a Fast Food
The Japanese are a people that are extremely proud of their culture, and it’s not hard to see why. They’ve got a fascinating history, a beautiful country, and many of them have devoted their lives to ensuring that their rich culture is part of the modern age.
Sushi is no different, and while it’s been eaten for countless decades, it’s become more than a traditional favourite; it’s also a popular type of fast food. While a US citizen might consider a burger or hotdog as a preferred fast food, for a Japanese person, sushi tends to be among the first picks available. It’s quick to make, easily available, and can be bought for a relatively low price, despite the fact that it doesn’t quite fit into the same fast-food niche that we have in more Western regions.
It’s also worth noting that within Japanese culture, people don’t tend to sit and wait too long while they’re eating. Time is precious, meaning that even those that go out for a family dinner will order and eat in a much shorter period of time compared to Western counterparts.
2. It’s Steeped In Culture
To understand the love of sushi within Japan, it’s important to first understand where it all came from. It’s believed that the Japanese began to consume sushi around the end of the Edo period, which started at the beginning of the 17th century.
It’s invention is closely tied with the creation of soy sauce, which the people at the time found to be a great addition to raw fish, as it kept it fresher for longer. It didn’t take long for sushi to spread around the country, becoming an instant favourite for those that took part.
Today, sushi is found just about everywhere, from households to restaurants to street vendors, and it’s become something of a staple of the people of Japan.
3. Traditional Sushi
For those that eat sushi at their local sushi bar, there’s a good chance that they’ve never partaken in traditional sushi, whether while out or at home playing online casino Kenya games.
This is because the dishes tend to be made in a wide variety of different ways: deep frying, for instance, has become a popular way of cooking the fish, giving it a crispy texture, after which it is topped with an assortment of other ingredients. Traditional sushi, on the other hand, tends to be made of raw fish, rice, soy sauce, and wasabi.