The sushi scene overseas

The changing styles of serving sushi

Sushi is enjoyed in various countries, and its popularity has grown year by year, so that it is now served in various forms.
In addition to Japanese restaurants, there are sushi restaurants specializing in sushi, conveyor-belt sushi restaurants, and in recent years supermarket deli sections and sushi-specialized delivery services, diversifying the sales formats.

The number of shops handling sushi is also increasing. In France, for example, sushi is regarded as fast food, boasting a number of shops on par with major hamburger chains. That number is over 1,500!Just looking at this figure shows that sushi is loved by many people regardless of country.

Creative sushi is popular overseas!

Nigiri sushi is eaten overseas too, but creative sushi is overwhelmingly more common, a characteristic of overseas sushi not found in Japan.In South America, such as France, Brazil, and Chile, they even sell inside-out rolls coated entirely with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. It is enjoyed in originality-rich styles tailored to each country's food preferences.

There is also great variety, such as \"fruit sushi\" in which sweets like mango and strawberry are wrapped in sushi rice, popular at sushi chains in Spain and France, and \"sweets sushi\" in which chocolate is wrapped in sushi rice, which is well received at popular sushi restaurants in France and Romania.

Ranking of the Top 10 sushi toppings popular among foreigners

Now, next, let us look at the ranking of sushi toppings popular overseas!

1. Salmon

Salmon is a sushi topping that boasts overwhelming popularity overseas. It is eaten in various countries regardless of East or West, such as Brazil, France, the United States, Russia, and China.

Because it has little fishy smell, it is easy to eat, and its fatty, rich flavor seems to be favored. In addition to nigiri sushi, it is also used as an ingredient in rolled sushi, which is popular overseas in general, making the ways to enjoy it all-around! The abundance of ways to arrange it is one reason for its popularity.

2. Tuna

The sushi topping favored after salmon is tuna. Popularity seems concentrated on medium fatty tuna and premium fatty tuna, which are fattier and have stronger umami than lean tuna. It is popular not only in Western countries such as France and the United States, but also in Asia, such as South Korea and Vietnam, and is likewise eaten regardless of region.

However, it does not seem to be very popular in Brazil, where it is said to be difficult to obtain highly fresh tuna, or in Malaysia, where a raw-eating culture has not taken root.

3. Shrimp

Shrimp is eaten in many countries, starting with Thailand and Vietnam, where shrimp fishing is thriving, as well as the United States and France, and of course it is enjoyed as a sushi topping too.

In the United States and France, where raw-eating culture is relatively less ingrained, people avoid eating it raw and mainly use steamed shrimp as is for nigiri sushi toppings, or eat it with added arrangements combined with avocado, mayonnaise, and so on.

4. Inside-out roll

The inside-out roll is not a sushi topping, but it is one type of rolled sushi often seen overseas. Unlike ordinary rolled sushi, it is rolled with the rice on the outside, characterized by its fun appearance.

In some places overseas, there is no custom of eating nori seaweed, and there are also regions where its black appearance tends to be shunned, so the rice is often placed on the outside and decorated with sesame and brightly colored items such as flying-fish roe.The inner ingredients sometimes include avocado and cheese (!).

This inside-out roll is eaten in various countries such as the United States, Italy, Chile, and Germany, and seems to be enjoyed more casually than nigiri sushi.

5. Sea Bream

Sea bream is also loved in many countries.In France, for example, it ranks among the top 4 popular sushi toppings. It is also enjoyed as sushi in South Korea, which has a custom of eating it domestically, and in Italy, which has a custom of eating it raw in dishes like carpaccio. Lightly flavored sea bream seems to be eaten more often as nigiri sushi than as rolled sushi.

6. Sea Urchin

Sea urchin is treated as a sushi topping whose appeal is greatly polarized overseas. In Greece, Italy, the United States, France, and others, sea urchin is harvested, so it is eaten as gunkan-maki, just as in Japan.

Good-quality sea urchin is also harvested in Australia, but because there is no raw-eating custom, many people dislike eating it as is, so there seems to be no demand for it in sushi either. Also, in parts of Indonesia and the United States, its distinctive flavor and smell are not accepted, so it is conversely unpopular there.

7. Salmon Roe

In France, where people are familiar with fish roe such as caviar, salmon roe (ikura) is also included as one of the basic sushi toppings. The way to eat it is, of course, the standard gunkan-maki!

Because it is taken from the parent fish, salmon, it is apparently also called salmon caviar. In parts of Northern Europe and North America, fish roe tends to be shunned, so it seems to be a topping that divides preferences. By the way, the etymology of \"ikura\" is Russian! Did you know that?

8. Conger Eel

Starting with Malaysia, where many people are said to have a sweet tooth, as well as the United States and South Korea where conger eel is harvested, simmered conger eel finished with a tsume glaze on top is eaten as nigiri sushi, just as in Japan.Besides simmered conger eel, there also seem to be countries that eat it topped on sushi in the shirayaki (salt-grilled) style, which is likewise enjoyed in Japan.

9. Scallop

Scallop is enjoyed not only as nigiri sushi but also as an ingredient in rolled sushi. For example, at a sushi restaurant in Canada it is known by the name \"Beautiful Roll,\" in which scallop and mayonnaise are wrapped in sushi rice.

Also, in the United States and France, scallop is sometimes harvested, so many sushi restaurants seem to handle it. In Taiwan, scallop is a popular ingredient, and seared scallop sushi is said to be popular even at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants.

10. Eel

Because eel is harvested in many countries, there seem to be diverse ways of cooking it in local dishes as well, and accordingly it has also spread as a popular sushi topping.

Like conger eel, it is enjoyed starting with Malaysia, where sweet flavors are preferred, as well as the United States, Canada, France, and Italy.

Delicious sushi can be eaten overseas too!

This time, we introduced popular sushi toppings, serving styles, and creative sushi from overseas.

Because some countries have no custom of eating raw fish, and preferences differ according to the local food culture, the sushi toppings handled also show diversity.
In addition, with unique arrangements added, the lineup may actually be more varied than in Japan.

Based on each country's food culture, they are providing originality-rich sushi through creativity and ingenuity.
The appearance may differ from the Japanese sushi you always see and feel unfamiliar, but if you have the chance to encounter the overseas sushi introduced this time, please do give it a try.