Living in Japan

When you come to Japan, sushi is one of those foods you just have to try. This time, we’d like to share a few simple tips that can help you enjoy sushi even more.

When adding soy sauce to nigiri sushi, try tilting the piece slightly and dipping the edge of the topping—not the rice. If the rice absorbs too much soy sauce, it can fall apart easily, so this dipping style is common in Japan. Soy sauce is meant to enhance the flavor, so using just a small amount is the key.

For gunkan-maki (“battleship-style” sushi wrapped with seaweed) with soft toppings like salmon roe or sea urchin, tilting the sushi can cause the toppings to spill. In that case, a useful trick is to use pickled ginger (gari) like a little brush to place a small amount of soy sauce directly on top. (A fun advanced technique!)

Also, for items like anago (conger eel) that already have sauce on them, you don’t need to add soy sauce at all.

You can eat sushi with your hands or with chopsticks—both are perfectly proper. Just choose whichever feels most comfortable for you. However, in Japan it’s common to eat each piece in one bite. Eating a bit of gari between pieces helps cleanse your palate so you can fully enjoy the next sushi.

We hope you’ll continue to enjoy authentic Japanese sushi during your time here in Japan!