Japanese sushi chefs weighs in on customers who practice “wasabi joyu”.
Have you ever mixed a bit of wasabi into your soy sauce and dipped your sushi into it? If you have, you’ve committed a culinary taboo that’s frowned upon in the dining world, according to news shared widely in Japan recently.
Sushi Sasaya Korin, a sushi restaurant in Kyoto’s Pontocho district, is one such establishment that believes wasabi should not be mixed with soy sauce, and Itamae Sushi Edo in Tokyo’s upmarket Minato Ward also holds the same opinion.
The reason why the practice is discouraged is because dissolving wasabi in soy sauce is said to not only sully the soy sauce, but also diminish the spiciness and aroma of the wasabi.
Mixing wasabi with soy sauce is known as “wasabi joyu“, an amalgamation of the words “wasabi” and “shoyu” the Japanese word for soy sauce. According to Sushi Sasaya Korin, wasabi joyu is a violation of etiquette not only when it comes to sushi but all Japanese food in general as the two should always be enjoyed separately.
Itamae Sushi Edo believes wasabi should be applied directly to the fish itself, especially in the case of fatty fish like chuutoro (medium fatty tuna) and ootoro (pink fatty tuna), as the wasabi helps to neutralise the fat, which makes it taste even more delicious.
A recent survey of 15,558 diners found that 6,347 people (40.8 percent) said they always add wasabi to the fish on their sushi and never make wasabi joyu. However, 4,317 people (27.75 percent) said they mix wasabi in with their soy sauce and 4,894 people (31.46 percent) said they do it depending on the situation, making the practice common with over half of the respondents.
▼ Some diners don’t feel so bad mixing wasabi with soy sauce when eating takeaway sushi in the privacy of their own homes.
News of wasabi joyu being a breach of etiquette caused a stir online in Japan, with people leaving comments like:
“Really? I didn’t know about this rule!”
“I think mixing is becoming more common. Etiquette should change with the times to reflect current trends.”
“Good sushi restaurants put wasabi inside the sushi if it’s necessary so you shouldn’t have to add any more yourself.”
“Most people go to cheap sushi conveyor belt chain restaurants these days so they just eat whatever way they like.”
“This is just an extension of the belief that it’s considered taboo to mix things while eating.”
It’s true that mixing one’s dishes, by eating rice and side dishes together, is frowned upon in polite circles. However, there is one place where wasabi joyu isn’t just accepted but encouraged — when eating kaisendon (seafood bowls). Seafood bowl specialists like Don in Osaka and Kotetsu in Ishikawa’s Omicho Market advise that wasabi should be placed on a small plate, mixed with soy sauce and then poured over the bowl before eating.
▼ Kaisendon
So next time you’re eating sushi under the eye of a watchful chef in Japan, be sure to keep your wasabi and your soy sauce separate. If you’re dining out at a casual conveyor belt sushi restaurant on your own, however, it’s likely that nobody will bat an eyelid if you choose to sully your condiments. Because when they have sushi tacos on the menu, it’s safe to say all traditional rules have been thrown out the window.
Source: J-Cast via Jin
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2, 3)
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Trackbacks
- Trackback URL
Trending Now
- Manga artist wants Japanese teachers to feel, for two seconds, how dumb their girls’ dress code is 365 views
- Panasonic says to stop wearing socks while you sleep 53 views
- Is it the end of Japan’s conveyor belt sushi as we know it? 15 views
- Haneda Airport getting rid of large flight information monitors at security lines in Terminal 2 12 views
- Beautiful live-action Final Fantasy X kabuki preview shows Yuna performing Sending【Video】 10 views
- Never oversleep again under the stern supervision of Japan’s Threatening Red Panda Nap Cushion 8 views
- Live-action Evangelion play ditches Shinji, Rei, and entire anime cast for new story, characters 7 views
- What exactly is the treat known as a “kougnané” that’s sold outside Tokyo’s Yurakucho Station? 5 views
- Japan’s number-one cosplayer Enako cosplays as Spy x Family’s Yor, recommends brutal revenge manga 5 views
- Famichiki Pancake Steamed Buns take Japanese convenience store food to a whole other level 3 views
Leave a Reply