History of Japanese Sushi

When we look back a the history of Japan, we can find that Japan’s wealthy blessing of nature is attributed to the fact that high mountain range on the center of the island, southern ocean current and northern ocean current create beautiful four seasons, which make snow and rain fall in the mountains and eventually form rivers bringing microorganism from the forests to the oceans, where fish eat the plankton of the microorganism.  These geographic conditions provide a plenty of water for Japanese people for consumption as well as benefits of natural food items.

B.C. 400.  Yayoi era
Cultivation method of rice was brought to Japan Island from South Asia with the influence of the continent. People were able to secure the source of energetic calories from the rice crop as well as food supplies of mountains and oceans around the Japan Island.  Around this time of the era, river fish from inland and shellfish from the mouth of a river and sea coast were the principal of their diet.   

Circa 270
"Su" or rice vinegar was first introduced to Japan from China, during the rein of the Ohjin Tenno era, and was found and produced in the area presently known as Osaka.
The Japanese vinegar was named Izumi-Su.  During that period of time, vinegar had been used for flavoring throughout various parts of the world, along with alcoholic beverages such as Sake and wine, but its strong acidity and lack of aroma made it less popular compared to the simple citrus juices. 

Circa 502-549
Ryo no Butei - Emperor of Ryo
The principle of bannedism on meat consumption came from India to China. He built the basis of original Chinese Shojin Ryouri, which was a form of Buddhist Cuisine.

Circa 574-622
Shotokutaishi - Shotoku Prince
He sent a Kentoshi, Japanese diplomat, to China in order to learn science and technology as well as Buddhism. He has then contributed to the development of its own Buddhism in Japan.  

Circa 645
Technique of fermenting fish and vegetables along with Buddhism came to Japanese imperial society through China.  These fermented foods were made in a barrel with layers of cooked rice, and salted fish with no internal organs.  The fermentation of the rice and fish made it a natural preservative food.  Similar type of fermented food still exists today in Kyoto and Hokuriku ( Japan Sea Coast) areas as Izushi or Narezushi. Due to high humidity influenced by its climate and the shape of Japan Island that produced its unique yeast, sake making and other fermentation took its own path to make Japanese original relish and umami. 
It has also been said that there was a preservative fermenting technique, which used only fish and salt, in Japan long before the use of fermenting rice crop.

Circa 1000
Seishonagon
Expanded the principle of vegetarian in Japanese society

Circa 1118-1190
Saigyo Hoshi, born in a celebrated imperial court samurai family, who became a monk and poet, influenced many people through poetry parties held at temples and wealthy merchant mansions by traveling all over the Japanese Island.  He was one of the first to introduce original and highly aesthetic Japanese elements, which was his own praise of Ka-cho-fu-getsu (flower, bird, wind and moon) to appreciate more of the beauty of nature, into the imperial and noble classes which had been under the influences of continent culture. For example, in the imperial gardens, cherry trees were introduced to take place of traditional plum trees from China. There were many cherry blossom tree fairs and breeding taken place. This tradition became popular throughout Japan that poetry parties and tea ceremonies were held under the cherry blossom trees.    

Circa 1200-1253
During the Kamakura era, Monk Dogen traveled to China and created his own Satori, philosophy of Buddhism. In 1237 he wrote the book called Tenzo Kyokun, which describes that eating meal must come first of anything because a person would not have a "healthy good life" or carry out their work and career without a meal. His book also states that cooking must come from this Satori.  

三心San-shin ( three spirits you must not forget )

•喜心Ki-shin ( pleasure of cooking, serving,
 and ascetic practice)
•老心Rou-shin ( think of someone who you cook for)
•大心Dai-shin ( put away stereotype thought
 and cook with confidence)

典座寮Tenzo-ryo ( kitchen for monks )

•Think about nutritional balance and body condition
 when cooking
•Cook with pleasant taste
•Appreciate the blessing of nature and use up food
 items for cooking
(ex: collect remaining pieces of food and make Kenchi-jiru soup)
•Use seasonal food items
•Extract nutrition from minimal food items through long
 cooking process

Honzen ( main platter)

Ichizen mori – Ichijiru Sansai
Gohan (rice), Tukemono (pickles), Shirumono (soup),
other items

Sannozen mori – Sanjiru Shichisai
Add Nimono (cooked vegetables etc.),
Yakimono (grilled food), and so on.

•五味Gomi ( five tastes )  sweet, salty, bitter, spicy, sour
 (another taste, sixth taste which is called Tanmi, taste of its own characteristic.)
•五法Gohou ( five method of cooking )  grill, boil, sauté, steam, raw
•五色Goshoku ( five colors )  white, black, red, yellow, green

Express transition of seasonality and Ka-cho-fu-getsu (flower, bird, wind and moon) to appreciate more of the beauty of nature. 

Food items to avoid

•五くん五辛Gokun- gobi ( avoid strong smell, strong spicy, sake, meat )
 Not to interrupt the ascetic practice

Santoku ( three good )

•軽軟Kyounan ( light and warm ) looks light and taste kindly light
•浄潔Jyouketsu ( clear ) fresh and clear
•如法作Nyohousa ( right manner ) use right method of cooking

His philosophy spread out all over Japan and influenced clerisy and highly-educated people in Kyoto, so even now, many chefs and owners visit temples in order to inherit and learn his philosophy.   At some point later, Kyoto vegetable cuisine and Shojin cuisine were combined together; then, it gradually made the development of Ryotei cuisine (Japanese luxurious traditional cuisine). Reference:http://tenzo.net

Circa 1575
During the Azuchi-Momoyama era, emergence of powerful samurai clans along with rich merchants helped bring about a marked exchange in many of the Japanese art forms such as, tea ceremony, paintings, lacquer ware, architecture, kabuki and kimono dying (Japanese Renaissance).  As for the epicurean trends, more rare and delicious food were brought into urban life, and made more accessible to the average person. This era saw high appreciation for more aesthetic presentation of foods and serving ware, as cooking techniques became far more sophisticated.  The first production of existing type of Japanese Kanto region style thick soy sauce also began in this period with wheat, soybeans and salt as its main ingredients.  Prior to this, most soy sauces were made from fish and salt or miso and brine, sometimes from plain pickle juice.  At this era, type of sushi was still the fermented rice with fish, Izushi.

Circa 1522-1591
Through the spirit of Shojin, which means to follow the disaplan of Buddhism, Sen no Rikyu introduced the philosophy of enjoying tea to samurai clans, rich merchants and intellectuals at the Japanese tea ceremony where Cha-Kaiseki  茶会席was served along with Japanese tea to enhance the enjoyment of the tea ceremony, and expressed the transition of seasons and blessing of beautiful nature from mountain and ocean. 
(each “way of tea” or  Sadou 茶道, tradition or school has different style and it has been carried through to the present)

In ancient time, Kaiseki 懐石, literally means that when Zen monks were on the practice of Buddhism, they held a warm stone wrapped with a cloth in the bosom in order to keep warm and ward off hunger. Warm stone, medicine stone and other stones were the original concept, and it associated those stones with a little meal of Kaiseki 懐石 that would not make the monks fall sleep while practicing. 
 
In Edo era, Japanese “Way of Tea” was logically defined and started to use the word of Kaiseki 懐石, for the course meal which was served along with tea. It changed to the Washoku course meal that included appetizers and other forms to make guests welcome by presenting the transition of seasons with seasonal food items on dishes and putting in time and effort through long cooking process. 

Cooking process
先付 Sakizuke,  椀物 Wan-mono,  向付Mukouzuke (sashimi),  鉢肴Hachizakana (yakimono),  強肴Shiizakana (nimono),  止肴Tomezakana (sunomono) to stop drinking sake,  止椀Tomewan (gohan, konomono, suimono), Mizukashi

On the other hand, rich merchants from Kyoto produced Ryotei cuisine culture where exclusively wealthy and beautiful Kaiseki 会席 was served to enjoy.   Then, it has been reproduced freely as the economy grew in the present speed, so many specialized cuisine restaurants would be able to serve their own reasonable Kaiseki会席 and that has been getting popular among women. 
 
Circa 1590
Tokugawa Ieyasu contributed his effort to build the world largest city of a million population, which had canal, water supply facility, sewerage system in Edo city (current Tokyo city) in the middle of Edo era. 
He also started the cultivation of Wasabi for his personal health care, based on studies of various medicinal plants. The family crest of Tokugawa clan displays three Aoi leaves, which somewhat resembles the leaves of Wasabi.  The earlier Shoyu (soy sauce), mainly produced in Osaka, were costly and therefore not popular among the commoners.  As the production of wheat increased in Edo (Tokyo), Koikuchi Shoyu became more popular for its lower cost.

Circa 1660
During Edo Genroku period, Unagi Kabayaki (broiled eel) and Soba (buckwheat noodle) made their first appearance in Edo's culinary scenes. Vinegar made from sake lees became very popular, and was mixed with rice or used with fish.  Sashimi also became popular during this period. Dry seaweed was started to be cultivated in Tokyo Bay area (Edo-mae).

Circa 1820
Nigiri Sushi (individually made sushi pieces) was first introduced by Kaya Yohei. This form of sushi was considered as a fast food, and there were only limited items such as marinated Tuna, vinegar cured Kohada and etc due to the quick and simple process in making them. 

Circa 1830
Inari Sushi (cooked fried bean curd sushi)

Circa 1870
Raw fish gradually found its way into Japanese dining tables, as a result of the invention of icebox. Toro (fatty tuna), one of the most prized sushi fish today, was not popular at that time.

1950
As prices for sushi became more reasonable, the demand for Toro increased.

1975
Globalized economy brought an unprecedented number of Japanese business into New York. The trend triggered a sushi boom in the metropolitan area, with sushi making a steady step into American culture.

2002
Now American style sushi, such as California Roll, is making a fantastic home coming to Japanese culinary scene. Today the demand for restaurants with distinct characteristics is ever increasing. Ambience, quality of food and its ingredients, as well as the service are crucial to their success. A low-keyed and spiritually restful ambience is in high demand.  American culture appreciates more diverse presentation of Japanese food than ever before.  

By -Toshio Suzuki