The Art of Sushi
Interview by Spencer Clifton | Contributions & Photos by Kassandra Eller | Design by Sara Roach
Koki Yoshizawa, A CWU junior studying tourism through the Association of Universities of Asia and Pacific (AUAP) program, may not know exactly what they want to do when they graduate, but they know they want to connect with different cultures and different countries.
PULSE reached out in order to gain a unique perspective of how sushi relates to the japanese culture and to Yoshizawa personally.
Q: Can you tell me what sushi means to you?
あなたにとって寿司とはどんなものですか？
A: Sushi is a very nostalgic food for me. I've been in the US for about 3 years, but out of all the sushi restaurants in the US, there are only a few sushi that I find delicious and the prices are very high. So it's easy to eat and delicious sushi is a nostalgic food for me.
A: 僕にとっての寿司はとても懐かしい食べ物です。僕はアメリカに約3年いますが、アメリカにある寿司レストランで、美味しいと感じる寿司はほとんどないし、とても値段が高いです。なので手軽に食べられ、美味しい寿司は懐かしい食べ物です。
Q: What does sushi mean to your culture?
あなたの文化にとって寿司とはどんなものですか？
A: In Japan, there are conveyor belt sushi, which is a cheap sushi restaurant, and a fairly high-class sushi restaurant made by sushi chefs. There are both affordable sushi and luxurious sushi, so it is deeply rooted in our food culture.
A: 日本には回転寿司という安く食べられる寿司屋さんと寿司職人が作るかなり高級な寿司屋さんがあります。手頃に食べられる寿司と贅沢に食べる寿司の両方があるので日本人に広く浸透し、私たちの食文化に深く根付いてます。
Q: Do you think that sushi stands out above other foods and culinary artforms? If so, how?
あなたは寿司が他の料理よりも目立つものだとおもいますか？
A: Yes! Sushi is really delicious, and it is no exaggeration to say that sushi made by chef is an art!
A: はい！寿司は本当に美味しいし、職人が作る寿司は芸術といっても過言ではありません！
Q: What is your favorite kind of Sushi?
あなたの好きな寿司のネタは何ですか？
A: My favorite kind of sushi is Ootoro, which is fatty tuna. The fat of the fatty tuna is not greasy, but slightly sweet and I love it.
A:自分の好きな寿司のネタは大トロです。大トロの脂はしつこくなく、ほんのり甘く大好きな一品です。
Q: Have you had sushi in the US? How does it compare to sushi in Japan?
アメリカで寿司を食べたことはありますか？また、日本の寿司と比較してどうでしたか？
A: Yes! Of course I have eaten sushi in the US! However, American sushi is expensive. The conveyor belt sushi I went to for the first time was $ 5 per a plate. Also I can't really feel the freshness of the raw fish, and the rice was too big, and the balance was messed up. But I like California rolls as a completely different food from Japanese sushi.
A: はい！もちろん食べたことあります！アメリカの寿司はまず高いです。僕が初めて行った回転寿司では一貫$5しました。笑 刺身の新鮮さも正直感じられないし、シャリも大きすぎてバランスがめちゃくちゃでした。笑 でも、日本の寿司とは全く別の食べ物としてカリフォルニアロールは好きです！
Q: Can you tell us something about Sushi we maybe do not already know?
私たちが知らない寿司に関することを何か教えてください！
A: In particular, the manner at a fancy sushi restaurant held by a chef is to eat as soon as possible when sushi is served.
A: 特に職人が握る寿司屋さんでのマナーとし、寿司が出されてたらなるべく早く食べるのがマナーです。
