Cute Sushi Dish Kawaii T-Shirt for Toddler

Sushi traditionalists say the fish should never be raw—nor should it be completely fresh. Not long ago, a sushi chef (itamae) had to undergo ten years of training before working in a restaurant. Today, demand for these skilled food artists is so high that many start work after only two years of training. Sushi aficionados never look at a menu, seldom use chopsticks, and avoid soy sauce and extra wasabi. Approximately 80% of the world’s Bluefin tuna catch is used for sushi. Today’s sushi began as a type of fast food—the 19th-century Japanese equivalent of a McDonald’s drive-thru. Sushi dates back to at least the second century A.D., beginning as a method of preserving fish in China. See our “The History of Sushi” page for more details about sushi history. The word “sushi” doesn’t refer to fish at all—it refers to rice that has been seasoned with vinegar, sugar, and salt.