What are the characteristics of Edomae Sushi?（Edomaezushi)
Edomae-zushi is the prototype of today’s nigiri-zushi and is said to have been perfected by Hanaya Yohee in the late Edo period. It was first served at yatai (food stalls) so that impatient Edo people could fill their bellies in a jiffy. In the beginning, sushi was two to three times the size of today’s sushi. Prior to that, the most common type of sushi was “box sushi,” which originated in the Kansai region and consisted of sushi rice and ingredients pressed together in a box. The word “Edomae” originally meant to use fish caught in front of Edo (present-day Tokyo Bay), and since there was no technology for refrigerated storage and transportation was not developed at that time, sushi was prepared in such ways as vinegared, pickled, and boiled to keep it fresh for a long period of time. Typical examples are marinated tuna, boiled sea eel, and vinegared kohada.
