In Japanese, the word sushi is written using two Chinese characters, su and shi. su means happiness or congratulations. shi means to preside, direct, or administer. Now this doesn't make a lot of sense considering raw fish, but that's the way it goes sometimes. There's also another less common way to write sushi. This kanji combines the character for fish with the character for tasty, delicious, which makes sense from a marketing perspective. There are also a variety of other characters that represent sushi, but their use is either quite limited or extinct. Sushi started some time in the 4th century BC, somewhere in Southeast Asia along the Mi Kung River and then moved to China and then on to Japan. Sushi originally started as a means to preserve fish. Because there was no refrigeration, fish was packed in fermented rice. This apparently worked to keep the fish fresh. After what could have been months, the rice was thrown out and the fish enjoyed the loan. Eventually, rather than discarding the rotten rice, people ate it. Because if you're eating months old, unrefrigerated raw fish, you're probably not too picky about some old rice. The modern style of sushi is said to have been invented by Mr. Hanaya Yohe in the 1820s, who was the first to sell sushi in food stalls in Edo. It was marketed as a fast food. This yata style of sushi became widely popular in the city and soon became the standard. It was also a common snack to chew on at the theater. The great Kanto earthquake of 1923 had a profound impact on the future of sushi. When the earthquake devastated Tokyo, many of the sushi chefs were displaced, causing them to spread the sushi much further than the limits of the city. Additionally, land prices in the city plummeted, allowing the Yatai shop owners who stayed to move to brick and mortar shops, moving the sushi experience indoors. The original word for sushi meant sour tasting. In fact, the word actually refers to the rice, not the fish. The fish is just the topping. Modern sushi rice is made with a concoction of sushi, sugar, and salt. There are six types of sushi, chilashi sushi, inari sushi, makizushi, nigiri sushi, nari sushi, and oshi sushi. The nori used to make many forms of makizushi was originally scraped from the sides of boats and wooden pier posts. Most wasabi out there isn't wasabi at all. Real wasabi is from the root of the wasabi-a-japanica plant. The stuff you usually find is probably a green dyed mix of horse radish and mustard powder. Sushi made with the infamous fugu must be prepared with great care, because the fish's organs produce a lethal neurotoxin. As such, chefs of this dish must receive a special license, and the emperor of Japan is forbidden from even tasting a sample of the dish. In the US and Europe, all fish with the exception of tuna, that is to be eaten raw, must be frozen. This FDA regulation is claimed to be necessary to kill parasites. Tuna, apparently, is parasite-free. 80% of the world's blue-fin tuna catch is used exclusively for sushi. This is odd because the Japanese at one time despised bluefin tuna belly and considered it unfit for human consumption. In 2013, the most expensive bluefin tuna sold for 155.4 million yen and weighed 222 kilograms. That's 700,000 yen a kilo. There are six different parts of the tuna that are served as sushi. Each part has a distinct flavor and value. The parts are say kami, say naka, say shimo, harashimo, chutoro and otoro. It is suggested that sushi should be eaten from light to dark. This is to maximize flavor as the darker, more fatty fish can overpower the palette. When the magro mage shows up, it may be time to finish your meal. The egg sushi can be a sort of sweet dessert type to finish. It is recommended to finish off a sushi meal with miso soup. This will help aid your tummy with the digestion. June 18th is International Sushi Day. So I guess you eat sushi on that day or something.