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How Sushi became a top Japanese food

Mansoor

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First, I would like to point out that this is my personal discovery, and this theory does not exist anywhere else.

I have never seen or tasted sushi, although a few restaurants in Iran serve it for wealthy people who occasionally desire to have sushi.

I have pondered extensively to uncover how sushi was invented in Japan, and the result is as follows:

In earlier centuries, Japanese lords governed various regions of Japan under the rule of the Japanese Emperors. These lords employed workers who were akin to slaves and toiled in the fields from dawn until dusk. These impoverished workers had no choices for themselves and were obligated to work for the lords all day long. They were only permitted to have a brief lunch break and rest for one or two hours at midday. As a result, they did not have sufficient time for cooking and also lacked access to enough firewood. Additionally, they were exhausted from working tirelessly for the entire first half of the day and could not afford to spend their limited rest time on cooking.

They inevitably had to store uncooked fishes in a container like wooden barrel to have them day after day, during the time of lunch and rest.
As far as I watched a documentary film on this topic, the stored fishes spoiled in the barrels, and the traditional sushi (in the past) had a bad smell that was intolerable for those unfamiliar with this food.

Today, traditional sushi has transformed into a delicious and renowned dish (according to its enthusiasts) that is vastly different from its origin as the pungent food of those Japanese laborers.
 
That's an interesting theory, @Mansoor. Wikipedia has a very exhaustive article on the history of sushi.

Sushi began with funazushi (鮒寿司), a salted and fermented fish originating at Lake Biwa. We had them in Nagahama in 2013:


​
 
However, as I described (based on my theory), the origin of this uncooked and stored food can be traced back to the master-slave social systems of the countries in the Far East, especially Japan, with some differences.
 
Great to know a bit of history about one of my most favorite foods.
 
Of course, it is my personal opinion and there is a question:

Did those workers have access to fish? Could they catch fish from the nearby rivers, or could they buy fish from the markets or fishermen directly?

The truth or falsehood of this theory depends on the answers to these questions.

Nevertheless, something seems to be true: storing uncooked fish is a sign of not being able to cook it for some reason that can be the same as what I mentioned.
 
Last edited:
what are you basing this on??
 
One fact says that even ancient people cooked lamb, beef, and fish thousands of years ago. So why would a group of Japanese people have raw fish centuries ago? Was it because it was fresher than fried or grilled fish?!

But what we know about the original sushi reveals that it was not fresh fish. On the contrary, it was stale fish that had been left in a container for months and it spoiled more or less.

Surely, there is a reason beyond this issue that goes beyond an optional or personal choice. One of the theories that is closer to fact than others is the same theory I proposed.
 
  1. what "earlier centuries" are you talking about?
  2. on what do you base the notion that peasants all worked in the fields and had no time to prepare food for themselves so they ate raw/rotten fish? It's inconceivable that there was any division of labor?
  3. what's this documentary you mentioned?
Fish doesn't go stale, it rots if left alone. It can be preserved by salting, pickling, or fermentation, which seem to be the earliest forms of sushi which seem to have originated OUTSIDE of Japan. Sushi made of fresh fish (as we know it today) originated as a form of fast food in the Edo era, and had nothing to do with peasants eating rotten fish out of barrels

History of sushi - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You can't just make up history just for it to fit some narrative you've dreamed up.
 
"spoiled" is not a good word. More correct is "preserved." These early preserved fishes could last for months or even a year. Simply cooking a fish would not allow it to last for months or a year. Also in your theory you said "As a result, they did not have sufficient time for cooking and also lacked access to enough firewood. Additionally, they were exhausted from working tirelessly for the entire first half of the day and could not afford to spend their limited rest time on cooking." But even if they did have enough time to cook, where would they get a nice fresh fish to cook?
 

nice gaijin


Hello

1- I have not studied Japanese history to determine a specific century as a starting point. Essentially, my theory is not tied to a particular time because I formed it based on a social perspective, although it is generally related to the past.

2-I mentioned farm or field, while I would not have to limit it to the farms. At that time, Japanese merchants, who were mostly known as lords, dominated all business and market fields, including fishing and selling fish. A lot of men worked for them in different sections of those industries and markets without any shortage of work. Most likely, sushi was innovated and became a common food, where workers with limited time for breaks and cooking had access to fish, where they were under the supervision of the strict foremen and stewards of the lords. The smallest failure or mistake of the workers regarding their tasks could result in harsh punishment. Even today, Japanese employees and workers know that if they make a mistake in their tasks, they will encounter a severe and immediate reaction from their chiefs and managers, and they have to work accurately at all times, like a clock!

These work rules were more severe and serious in Japan in the last centuries. At that time, the lords were harsher and more violent than today's Japanese managers, and their punishments to the workers were harsher than what is allowed by law today.

3- I don't remember where I watched the documentary film about traditional sushi, probably on BBC.

It depicted Japanese villagers who have an annual celebration using old sushi. In the film, I heard that the original sushi they ate with great enjoyment was malodorous because the preserved fishes had partially rotted.
 
Hello

The sushi that was preserved in the past is different from the fish that we currently preserve industrially. These fish were stored in containers that were not airtight, which allowed microscopic organisms like mold, fungus, and bacteria to affect the quality of the fish meat. Fish is different from plant components found in pickles that are stored in regular containers for a long period of time.
 
@Mansoor, I think what bothers me is that you talk about this "theory," but base it on these assumptions you've made about history which are easily debunked. And then you phrase yourself as if you're speaking authoritatively, and not hypothetically. Once again I feel compelled to point out these inaccuracies, lest someone come along and mistake your fantasy as factual.

Japanese lords were not merchants, your understanding of the feudal economy and the lifestyle of people in the past is not accurate.

It seems like the video you saw was describing Funazushi, as thomas has already suggested

Sushi Smarts: What Is Funazushi? - Food Republic

Natto, Japanese fermented soybeans, are a dietary staple. Funazushi takes it one step further. What is funazushi? Grab your chopsticks.
www.foodrepublic.com

Funazushi - Pickled fish in salt

Funazushi, a traditional Japanese dish from the Shiga Prefecture with nigorobuna fish caught in early spring are pickled in salt.
www.foodinjapan.org

Funazushi is indeed fermented fish (a form of controlled rotting, if you will), and is described as having a funky smell and flavor, like an aged cheese. The first preservation stage even involves packing the fish with salt and storing them in barrels, but you seem to misunderstand that the fish were just left to rot in them; that was just the initial salting stage, the actual fermentation happened later and was probably in a much more controlled manner, as it is with other fermented Japanese goods such as natto, miso, and soy sauce. If you just leave something and hope for the best, it will quickly rot in a way that will be inedible, and will likely make you ill.

You've taken what you've seen and conjured a very improbable origin story, when there's no need to guess. I think you should consider studying history instead of dreaming it up.
 
We have powerful tools now that we can use to make up stories. No special effort required! Here's Bing CoPilot's take on it:

Certainly! Here's a creative, factually possible but incorrect origin story for sushi:
In the verdant valleys of ancient Japan, there was a small village known for its exceptional rice harvest. The villagers, however, faced a dilemma. Their rice would often spoil before they could consume or trade it all. To solve this, they began preserving their rice in salt and fermenting it with fish, a method borrowed from the mountain tribes.
One day, a wandering poet named Yuki stumbled upon the village. She was offered this preserved rice and fish, which she found to be quite delightful. Inspired, Yuki composed a poem about the dish, calling it "sushi," which meant "sour-tasting" in the old dialect.
Yuki's poems became widely popular, and so did the dish. Over time, the fermentation process was refined, and fresh fish began to be used, leading to the sushi we know today. While this story aligns with the historical use of fermentation in sushi's creation, it's a whimsical take on its origin, as the true history of sushi is a complex tapestry woven through centuries of Japanese culture.
Remember, this is a fictional tale and not the actual origin of sushi, which has a rich and well-documented history.
 
Your definition of a lord is a feudal lord who had vast farms, but my definition also includes the top merchants of Japan at that time.

I am almost certain that the documentary film mentioned sushi, not Funazushi. It is the first time I have heard this word.

My question, upon which my theory was based, still remains:

Why did the old Japanese, who seemed to be peasants and workers, use uncooked fish instead of fried or grilled fish, which was tastier and more delicious? Why didn't they even use smoked fish that can be preserved for years? Why did they preserve raw fish, which is not common in other areas of the world?

Isn't it a sign that they had a problem or limitation with cooking, as I pointed out in my analytical theory?
 
Interesting story

But please don't compare me to AI tools. I can go where AI cannot go, despite all of its complexity
LOL
 
Per the quick reading I just did on the topic, the use of raw fish only started about 200 years ago and it was in the city (Edo), primarily as a sort of fast food amongst the merchant/craftsman class. So it has nothing to do with lords or peasants or lack of cooking ability. It likely expanded in popularity because it's quick, healthy and delicious. And that's why it's so popular across the world today. There are many sushi shops in almost every country now. There are not many grilled fish shops which I think is evidence that most people think sushi is tastier than grilled fish.
 
Aside from the topic, where is Uncle Frank? It has been a while since I last saw him here.
 
Oh, I wonder at my carelessness!

I did not notice Frank after Grandpa. Nevertheless, an uncle can be of the same age as a grandpa, and I don't think changing the name would have been a better introduction.

Sometimes, some young shoppers or employees in the offices call me father (In fact, they mean grandfather)!

I dislike it when they call me father because I always think I am still young!

Instead, I never call them "my son" to assure them that I am not their father's age!

I wonder why people in the West call a young priest "father," and he enjoys this title!

Unlike Frank, I never want to refer to myself as a grandpa who naps (although I do sneakily nap when I am alone!)

I never go to a park to join a group of retired men who sit on a bench with a cane and chat with each other!

I am worried that their age affects me!!

Nonetheless, whether or not, we should believe that old age is approaching!

In some of my stories, I had to use the phrase "old man," and when I wanted to edit them with an online editor, I received this warning: "old man is a sensitive word!"

This message assured me that the online editors think like me!
 
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