Kansai-style sushi (esp. pressed sushi, such as battera)(kansaizushi)
fermented sushi (pickled in brine rather than vinegar)fermentation
This type of sushi spread from the Kansai region to the rest of Japan long before the birth of Edomae-zushi, the prototype of nigirizushi. Nare-zushi, the origin of sushi, is made by lacto-fermenting fish with salt and rice. The oldest known nare-zushi in Japan is “funa-zushi” from Shiga Prefecture. Later, in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), box sushi and oshizushi, in which rice and ingredients are laid out in a wooden box, were born. From there, various forms of sushi such as stick-zushi and maki-zushi gradually emerged and came to be known collectively as “Kansai-zushi. The rice of Kansai-zushi is made with more sugar than that of Edomae-zushi, and is characterized by a stronger sweetness than that of Edomae-zushi. Boxed sushi and oshizushi are often used as lunchboxes for theatrical performances and picnics, and it is believed that this was done so that the sushi would not dry out over time and remain tasty.
