【Reading】かきのはすし

【English Name】Kakinoha-sushi

Kakinoha-zushi (persimmon-leaf sushi) is a regional sushi in which small portions of vinegared rice topped with mackerel or salmon are wrapped in persimmon leaves and pressed. In addition to Nara and Wakayama Prefectures, it is also found in the Kaga region of Ishikawa Prefecture and the Chizu region of Tottori Prefecture. It originated in the Edo period, when fishermen of Kishu delivered salt-cured mackerel from the Kinokawa River basin to Yamato by boat transport, and it changed into its present form using vinegared rice from the mid-Edo period onward. The antibacterial action of the persimmon leaf allows it to keep for several days, and the fragrance of the leaf produces a distinctive flavor. The leaves of astringent persimmon are soft and well-suited. The topping was originally only mackerel, but salmon was added in the Meiji era, and now both are standard. Depending on the region, sea bream, conger eel, yellowtail, and trout are also used. It is rooted in various regions as a food culture for festivals and celebratory occasions.