【Reading】かん

【English Name】Kan / piece of sushi

"Kan" is a counter word (josushi) used when counting pieces of nigiri sushi.

There are several theories about its origin. One is that it derives from the Edo-period currency unit "kan," said to have shifted from the unit for bundling holed coins strung on a cord. Another theory holds that it came from the unit of weight "kan" (about 3.75 kg), but neither has reached the status of an established theory.

At modern sushi restaurants it is used in the form "one kan" or "two kan" when ordering and at checkout, but whether one kan refers to one piece of nigiri or two differs by era, region, and establishment. In Edomae sushi of old, it was common to serve two pieces as a single set per topping, and there was a time when this two-piece set was called "one kan." Today, the mainstream at many establishments is to treat one piece of nigiri as one kan.

As one of the fucho (industry jargon) of sushi restaurants, it is an expression used naturally among artisans and regular customers, and can be said to be one of the words that symbolize sushi culture.