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35 Traditional Sushi Pieces Explained

35 Traditional Sushi Pieces Explained

FDL
By
Fine Dining Lovers
Editorial Staff

Here's another great infographic courtesy of the Japanese Foodie blog, this time focusing on sushi, largely the different types of nigiri you're likely to find in a traditional sushi restaurant in Japan. 

Alongside the salmon, shrimp and uni pieces, there are a few sushi pieces here you might not have tried, such as surf clam or a fried tofu pouch. The infographic serves as a perfect introduction to the art of sushi and also, a checklist for true sushi lovers

Check out these guides to types of ramen and Japanese snacks from the same author and be sure to head on over to the Japanese Foodie blog for more info. 

Also below, watch a true sushi master in action, Jiro Ono

Read next: 21 next level sushi pieces you've probably never tasted

Hirame

Literally any kind of flat fish, usually made with flounder.

Sawara

Made with a shiny silver-skinned fish known in the West as Spanish mackerel.

Saba

Saba is oily mackerel, which adds flavour to the rice.

Aji

Another mackerel, aji is a type of horse mackerel.

Iwashi

Made with sardines or anchovies, a classic sushi option.

Suzuki

Suzuki is the Japanese name for seabass.

Tai

Slightly different, tai sushi is made with seabream.

Kanpachi

Kanpachi is known in the West as greater amberjack and is related to buri.

Hamachi/buri

These are both made with yellowtail at different stages of its life – young or adult.

Kinmedai

This bright red fish has the wonderful name in English of splendid alfonsino!

Magaro/Akanu

This type of sushi is made with a lean cut of bluefin tuna.

Chu-Toro

Classified as a semi-fatty cut of bluefin tuna belly.

O-Toro

Not to dissimilar, this comes from a fatty cut of bluefin tuna belly.

Katsuo

Made with bonito or skipjack tuna.

Sake

A classic, simple salmon.

Sumi Ika

Delicious squid sushi. Best eaten very fresh.

Hotate Gai

Made with sweet Japanese scallops.

Aki Gai

This time, it’s red clam.

Hokka Gai

Made with the two-tone meat of a surf clam.

Tori Gai

Another clam, the black and white heart clam.

Inari Zushi

A Japanese classic, sushi made with a tofu pouch.

Ama ebi

Raw sweet shrimp sushi.

Ebi

Still shrimp, this time it’s been cooked.

Kuruma ebi

Another shrimp, cooked tiger shrimp.

Shako

Shako is made with mantis shrimp.

Tamago

Literally “egg” in Japanese, this sushi is topped with a slice of omelette.

Tako

Octopus sushi.

Kani

Made with the leg of a crab.

Anago

Saltwater eel, a fish that is very popular across Japan.

Unagi

Another eel, this time it’s freshwater, caught in rivers across the country.

Kani Sarada

Made with a type of mayonnaisey crab salad.

Tobiko

Flying fish roe sit on top of the rice and will pop in your mouth.

Ikura

Another classic, ikura is made with salmon roe.

Kobashira

Made with tiny sweet scallops.

Uni

Last but not least, uni refers to the delicacy of sea urchin.

Sushi Types Infographic

 


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