What is Sushi?
Simply stated, sushi is seafood served with seasoned rice. There are two styles of sushi:

Nigiri sushi (individual pieces) and
Maki sushi (rolls)

Sushi is considered an art form. It is elegantly arranged to enhance its simplicity and natural beauty. The method of preparation, shape and taste differ somewhat depending on the locality. Each sushi holds its tradition and characteristic. Sushi is very attractive because it is prepared quickly before the customer's eyes by the sushi chef.

What is Sashimi?
Sashimi is sliced seafood beautifully arranged on a bed of shredded Daikon radish. Sometimes the fish is cut up and served on its own bones.

Origins of Sushi
Sushi is a typical Japanese food with over a thousand years of history and tradition. Sushi actually began as a way of preserving fish. The raw, cleaned fish was pressed between rice and salt by a heavy stone for a few weeks. Then, a lighter cover was used and a few months later it was considered ready to eat. Not until the 18th Century did a chef decide to serve sushi in its present form and forget about the fermentation process altogether.

In the city of Osaka, there is still an elaborate tradition of sushi pressed with rice in wooden boxes. This type of sushi is called Hako-zushi.

The sushi commonly known to Westerners comes from Edo (old name for Tokyo) tradition. This is the hand rolled sushi called Nigiri-zushi.

Japanese have a deep-rooted fondness for nature and this is often carried over to the arrangement of food. The pieces are arranged to enhance their natural beauty. Often using a plate resembling a fish in motion or a quiet river nook, it captures nature and the outdoors or a deep pool. The fish itself evokes an image of the creature swimming through underwater weeds and roots.