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Factors that contributed to the global spread of sushi since the 1980s and the most

important of the Factors

The love for Sushi is no longer confided within the boundaries of Japan rather than it

becoming a global delicacy enjoyed by many individuals of different ethnicity. A once known

Japanese food has grown to become a highly enjoyed meal across the walks of many lives,

especially in the US and many other European countries. The spread of Sushi across the

countries has been an aspect caused by many factors whose contributions led to the high number

of people consuming it. The term Sushi as per today is not just a Japanese word, but a globally

used word whose mention directly reminds the people of one interesting meal slowly turning into

a favorite of many. Factors such as its unique culinary appeal, the alluring Japanese pop culture,

the diaspora Chinese among others are the leading causes of the global spread of sushi since the

80s.

To begin, the spread of sushi throughout the world has been largely attributed to the

Japanese diaspora where the immigrant Japanese introduced the sushi culture across the different

foreign countries they settled in. As the rate of globalization has grown, the number of Japanese

moving out of the country increased, an aspect that saw an outward movement of the Japanese

culture, including the Japanese sushi, leading to the establishment of many sushi restaurants

internationally (Issenberg, p. 93).

 These early

restaurants frequently provided sushi that was more traditional and tailored to the tastes of the

Japanese immigrant community. Sushi became more and more well-known outside of the

Japanese immigrant community as non-Japanese diners began to sample this unique and

fascinating dish. For example, the Kawafuku Restaurant was established by a man by the name

of Noritoshi Kanai and his business partner, Harry Wolff (Issenberg, p. 93).

As the first

restaurant in America to serve conventional nigiri sushi, Kawafuku also introduced Americans to

the idea of sushi bars, which had a significant impact on how sushi spread throughout the world,

showing how the Japanese living abroad facilitated the movement and acceptance of this

delicacy on the global scale, influencing the spread of sushi.

 Further, sushi has been identified as a food with a great culinary appeal which is

characterized by a mix of fresh fish, rice, and different toppings, together with the skillful

preparation, such as the Nigirizushi and makizushi, and the combination of these aspects leads to

the creation of an outstanding culinary appeal that immensely attracts a lot of consumers (Rath,

p. 34).
 Besides the meal gaining

popularity due to the enhanced globalization and Japanese in diaspora, the major reason why the

meal gained its popularity was its wonderful deliciousness witnessed in no other meals. There is

something for every palate in sushi, from the buttery richness of fatty tuna to the salty and

umami notes of seaweed (nori) and the delicate sweetness of vinegared rice (Issenberg, p. 95).

In

addition, each dish is expertly crafted, from the positioning of garnishes and toppings to the

exact slicing of the fish, adding an aesthetic element that appeals to both the senses of sight and

taste. Sushi can be customised to fit regional tastes and ingredients, as seen in the Fusion sushi
rolls, including the California Roll (which has avocado, cucumber, and crab), making the dish to

be a global delicacy enjoyed by many as it continues to become more popular.

Furthermore, the enhanced perceived health benefits of sushi, which are in line with the

growing interest in health and wellbeing, have been greatly credited to the food's surge in

popularity worldwide, particularly in the USA. Ever since the 80s, many people have

increasingly become aware of being health conscious and its benefit because of the high number

of health related conditions were on the rise during this period, and sushi met every standard for

being both healthful and light (Issenberg, p. 100).

 This meal

which was prepared simply with few ingredients whose health benefits thus attracted a lot if

people globally who are health conscious. For instance, this meal emphasizes on the use of fresh

ingredients, together with its lean protein source, fish then accompanied with the use of small oil

quantities. This aspect alone attracts a huge number of people who needed to stay health amid

the rising health consciousness, especially in the American dramatic eating habit shifts during the

80s. The meal’s established reputation as a low-calorie, low-fat, and protein-rich food became a

key selling point as worries about nutrition and wellbeing increased. After the health food

movement became popular, a perfect window of penetration of sushi was created (Rosenberger,

p. 15). The idea of eating fresh, raw fish was deemed unique and gourmet, and sushi's attractive
appearance further appealed to health-conscious people. Thus, the increasing popularity of sushi

was greatly enhanced by its health benefits, especially because of the increased consciousness of

consumers regarding healthy foods.

Sushi's popularity has been greatly aided by the influence of Japanese popular culture,

particularly anime and manga, especially with younger people, where the culture, which includes

a broad spectrum of media and entertainment genres, has been an effective means of introducing

audiences around the world to Japanese cultural aspects, including cuisine (Issenberg, p. 128).

The popular

culture was one of the things that greatly spread across the world faster than anything, and its
spread came with a lot of cultural shifts from one region to another. The Japanese pop culture

spread across the world (Issenberge, p. 88).

Different interesting scenes within the animations entailed the characters cooking and eating the

delicacy or even the characters visiting the sushi restaurants, an aspect that led to many viewers

being curious of the dish. In addition to presenting sushi as a delicious dish, these representations

also portrayed it as an integral part of daily life in Japan. A prime illustration of sushi's

popularity in Japanese popular culture is the widely recognised anime series "Naruto." Sushi,

especially the well-known dish "nigiri," was mentioned as one of the protagonist Naruto

Uzumaki's favourite foods (Issenberg, p. 19).

As a result, fans—especially the younger ones—became curious to eat sushi for themselves and

investigate its different varieties. Right now, the Narutto Roll—named after the manga and

anime series "Naruto"—is a well-known sushi roll that is eaten in many different nations. As a

result, the convergence of sushi's worldwide appeal with Japanese pop culture demonstrates how

entertainment and media have functioned as cultural bridges.

Since the 80s, many Japanese restaurants have been established globally, across various

countries such as in the USA, Canada, the UK and many other countries in Europe. The creation

of such restaurants, especially the global food chains which offer the same service has been a

major influence of the increasing popularity of this dish. These sushi restaurants, just like those

in Japan offer a distinctive atmosphere which is very different to the other drinking

establishments, a characteristic inherited from ‘Edokko’ (Ishige, p. 227).

 The

establishment of the global sushi chains has automatically led to many people in the global

market knowing the dish, influencing many to have a taste of what the dish offers. Initially,

nobody except the Japanese knew about it, but because of a combination of the other factors,

many people have become enthusiasts of the dish, leading to the growth of its popularity across.

Currently, many countries across Europe and America have been identified with several

Japanese sushi chains which offer the same services that are greatly alluring to the local

consumers who are immensely enthusiastic about the meal. Many inns and restaurants try to

attract customers with beautiful photographs of elaborate Japanese dinners, which have many

courses served simultaneously (Ishige, p. 119). This is an aspect that was initially witnessed in

the rise and spread of other food cultures where they established their restaurants across the

different countries, increasing their acceptance.

 In my opinion, the primary factor behind sushi's global success is its deliciousness and

health benefits. Sushi wouldn't have been well-known worldwide for any of the other reasons

other its mouthwatering taste and health advantages. It's difficult to persuade people to eat food

that falls short of their standards for flavour and quality, particularly in the global economy. It

has a flavour that appeals to everyone, offering a delicious and complete experience, from the

fish's freshness to its sophisticated presentation because they usually prefer the use of rice that

tastes good, together with the other ingredients (Issenberge, p. 14).

 Sus

hi is adored all around the world because of its sensory appeal. Sushi's incredible transformation

from a revered Japanese speciality to a popular global food can be attributed to its ability to

captivate people's senses regardless of their cultural or geographic origins. It is an experience

that brings people together over the joy of great food, not just a meal. Sushi has promoted

intercultural understanding and enhanced the worldwide culinary scene, demonstrating the

ability of food to unite people from different cultural backgrounds.

In conclusion, the rise of popularity of sushi globally is one aspect that has been greatly

influenced by several factors whose combinations have led to the food’s global acceptance.

Today, for example in Canada, many people are aware of sushi with many of them having a taste

of it due to the growing popularity of the dish. From its unique culinary taste, globalization,

Japanese in diaspora to the growing number of Japanese sushi chains, this dish has become a big

enthusiast of many people outside Japan. As for me, I believe the dish’s unique culinary appeal

has been the major factor that has influenced the spread of its popularity across the world. With

its unique taste, sushi will continue growing its popularity across many countries in the world.
 Works Cited

Naomichi Ishige, The History and Culture of Japanese Food (New York: Routledge, 2011), 17-

228.

Sasha Issenberg, The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy (New

York: Penguin, 2007).

Eric Rath, “Some Tasting Notes on Year-Old Sushi: Funazushi, Japan’s Most Ancient and

Potentially Most Up-to-Date Sushi,” Gastronomica 20, no. 1 (2020), 34-41.

Ohnuki-Tierney, E. (1993). Rice as self: Japanese identities through time. Princeton University

Press.