The word "sushi" can be written with several different kanji characters in Japanese. While we commonly see "寿司" and "鮨" in everyday life, what exactly is the difference between them? Furthermore, the kanji "鮓" is also read as "sushi." These kanji are deeply connected to the history of sushi. Let us explore the meaning and differences of each.

A Brief History of Sushi

The history of sushi dates back to the mountain tribes of Southeast Asia, who used rice, salt, and other ingredients to ferment fish as a long-term preservation method known as "narezushi." Records show that "sushi" was being made in Japan from ancient times, with the word already appearing in documents from the 8th to 10th centuries.

The sushi of that era was quite different from what we imagine today -- it was narezushi, a naturally fermented variety. Narezushi was a preserved food commonly eaten in Japan from ancient times through the modern era.

Naturally, sushi underwent several transformations over its long history.

For example, during the Muromachi period, the practice of eating the rice -- which had previously been used as a fermentation ingredient but not consumed -- became widespread. In the 17th century, the prototype of modern oshi-zushi (pressed sushi) is said to have been born.

The nigiri-zushi that has become known worldwide as SUSHI was born in Edo (now Tokyo) in the early 19th century.
The impatient Edoites did not care for time-consuming dishes like narezushi, and instead invented nigiri-zushi as a quick meal -- simply placing raw fish on vinegared rice.

Today's sushi can be broadly divided into two lineages: the traditional narezushi and the hayazushi (quick sushi) flavored with vinegar.
While the most commonly enjoyed types are nigiri-zushi, oshi-zushi, and inari-zushi, all forms of hayazushi, regional specialties such as funazushi (crucian carp sushi) and ayu no narezushi (sweetfish narezushi) remain in various parts of Japan as vestiges of the narezushi tradition.

The Etymology of Sushi

What is the origin of the word "sushi"?

The etymology of sushi traces back to the Chinese words "酢 (su)" and "鮓 (shi)" from around the 3rd century BCE. The former referred to salted fish, and the latter to preserved fish. These words are said to have been transmitted to Japan and evolved into the word "sushi."

In Japan, various kanji have been used for sushi, including "鮓," "鮨," "寿司," "寿志," and "寿し." However, all except "鮓" and "鮨" were first used from the mid-Edo period onward. During the Muromachi period, "sumoji" and "osumoji" were also used as elegant court language (nyobo kotoba) to refer to sushi.

How the Characters for Sushi Changed Over Time

So what kind of sushi does the long-used character "鮨" specifically refer to?

The kanji used for sushi also had trends that changed with the times.

In documents from around the 8th century, when sushi was becoming established in Japan, the character "鮓" was predominant. Awabi-zushi (abalone sushi) and igai-zushi (mussel sushi) are representative examples. By around the 10th century, however, the character "鮨" had come to dominate. Characters such as "鹿鮨" (deer sushi) and "猪鮨" (boar sushi) appear in the 10th-century text Engishiki.

In China and elsewhere, the original meaning of "鮨" was fish sauce.

However, in modern Japan, "鮨" most commonly refers to Edomae sushi made with fish. Indeed, the character "鮨" is routinely displayed on sushi restaurant signs. This is a legacy of the character "鮨," used since ancient times, continuing to be used even in the era when nigiri-zushi was born.

The Origin of the Character 鮓

Alongside "鮨," the character "鮓" has also been used since ancient times.
The prevailing theory is that sushi originated as "sour fish," a preserved food from Southeast Asia, which traveled through China and was introduced to Japan along with rice cultivation. The character "鮓" appears in a Chinese character dictionary from before the Common Era.

Originally used in Japan to refer to narezushi, it continued to be used to mean nigiri-zushi as well, alongside "寿司" and "鮨," even after narezushi evolved into nigiri-zushi. Due to this history, "鮓" is still sometimes used today specifically to refer to narezushi.

Representative examples of narezushi include ayu no narezushi from Mie Prefecture, funazushi from Shiga Prefecture, and kaburazushi from Ishikawa Prefecture, all of which carry on the ancient Japanese sushi tradition.

The Difference Between 寿司 and 鮨

Among the kanji used for sushi, "寿司" is currently the most common.

The kanji "寿司" was coined during the mid-Edo period.
It is an auspicious ateji (phonetic kanji), but how does it differ from "鮨"?

While various theories exist, it is generally understood that "寿司" refers to sushi in all its diversity -- including the forms that have spread worldwide -- whereas "鮨" specifically refers to traditional sushi made with seafood and vinegared rice.

In other words, "鮨" is a subcategory within the broader umbrella of "寿司."

The Difference Between 寿司 and 鮓

The difference between "寿司" and "鮓" is quite clear.

"寿司" is an all-encompassing term for sushi, while "鮓" refers to fermented sushi -- a preserved food. With its distinctive flavor, "鮓" can be understood as one of the oldest forms within the broader category of "寿司."

Summary

Let us now summarize the differences among "寿司," "鮨," and "鮓."

寿司	A term coined in the mid-Edo period; an umbrella word encompassing all types of sushi
鮨	Generally refers to hayazushi (quick sushi) made with seafood and vinegared rice
鮓	Refers to sushi as a preserved food, fermented using salt, rice, and seafood

Looking at it this way, it becomes clear that there are many different types of "sushi."
Sushi is an essential part of Japanese food culture -- let us take this opportunity to appreciate it anew.