Yoshinori Tezuka: What I Want to Convey Through "Sushi"

2018/11/14

After graduating from the Faculty of Business and Commerce, I spent four years stationed in Switzerland, Italy, Canada, and New Zealand as a professional ski guide before entering the family business of sushi. Currently, I travel abroad once a month to prepare sushi, give lectures on sushi and fish culture in both Japanese and English domestically and internationally, and conduct market tours and hands-on sushi-making experiences for high-end international guests.

In the midst of this, I also teach a class on "Sushi" in English to exchange students and Japanese students at Keio University's International Center Short-Term Japanese Studies Program (KJSP). With the main theme of "Conveying Japanese Culture Through Sushi," it is a new type of class where every participating student experiences making sushi and eats the sushi they have prepared themselves.

Currently, tours where international travelers do not just watch but actually try things for themselves are very popular. These hands-on tours are memorable and are considered excellent from an educational standpoint.

So, what do I convey in the sushi class? In the lecture, I introduce it by saying, "A single small piece of sushi is packed with Japanese culture, and the sushi counter is a concentrated hub of Japanese culture." Through "sushi," I strive to convey three aspects of culture.

The first is "fish culture." Japan is a rare country with a culture of eating fish that dates back thousands of years. Because of this, there are many people involved with fish, such as fishermen, market workers, and sushi chefs. Furthermore, even with the same type of fish, the taste differs depending on the location and season, changes based on the catching method (line fishing, purse seine, longline, set net, etc.), and varies depending on the preparation method. While enjoying these changes in flavor, Japanese people appreciate the tastes of the seasons and famous production areas.

The second is "communication culture." This includes communication at sushi restaurants where prices are not explicitly listed, as well as the practice of "reading the air" (sensing the mood) which is common at the markets. I believe these are unique cultural traits of Japanese people who share the same cultural background.

The third is "sushi food culture." I introduce the history and regional characteristics of sushi, such as funazushi and pressed sushi. I also provide explanations about the tools associated with sushi.

I believe that Japan's cultural power is at a very high level. I hope to raise the value of Japanese food and Japan itself by having people learn about food culture within that Japanese culture, specifically sushi, which is one of Japan's representative foods.