More Than Just Flavor — A System Built on Logic

In sushi, every element has a purpose.
Gari (pickled ginger), wasabi, and soy sauce are not simply condiments.
They are essential components designed to enhance flavor, improve hygiene, and create balance throughout the meal.

Sushi is not only delicious — it is rational.

Gari (Pickled Ginger): Cleansing the Palate

Gari plays a crucial role in sushi dining.

Its primary purpose is to reset the palate between different pieces of sushi.
Each type of fish varies in fat content, texture, and aroma. Without palate cleansing, flavors overlap and diminish clarity.

Ginger naturally refreshes the mouth, allowing each piece to be enjoyed as the chef intended.

In addition, ginger contains natural antibacterial properties and helps reduce fishy odors, making it an ideal companion for raw seafood.

Wasabi: Aroma, Balance, and Food Safety

Real wasabi contains allyl isothiocyanate, a compound known for its antibacterial effects.

Before modern refrigeration, wasabi played an essential role in making raw fish safer to eat.
Even today, its function remains relevant.

Beyond safety, wasabi enhances sushi by:

• Neutralizing unwanted odors
• Cutting through rich or fatty fish
• Adding a clean aroma that sharpens umami

This is why sushi chefs carefully adjust the amount of wasabi for each fish — not to make it spicy, but to bring out its best qualities.

Soy Sauce: Finishing, Not Seasoning

Soy sauce is not meant to overpower sushi.

Through fermentation, soy sauce develops natural umami (amino acids) that complements the fish.
It also provides light antibacterial benefits.

However, too much soy sauce — especially when absorbed by the rice — disrupts the balance of acidity, texture, and temperature carefully crafted by the chef.

This is why traditional sushi culture emphasizes:

• Light dipping on the fish side
• Or pre-seasoned sushi using nikiri soy sauce

Soy sauce is a final touch, not the main flavor.

Sushi: A Culinary System Refined Over Time

Gari, wasabi, and soy sauce exist for a reason.
They represent generations of knowledge — balancing safety, flavor, aroma, and flow.

Understanding these elements transforms sushi from a meal into an experience.

Reservation

If you are visiting Tokyo and would like to experience authentic Edomae-style sushi,
we invite you to reserve an omakase course at Sushi Shutatsu in Ogikubo.

Our chef carefully balances every element — from fish and rice to wasabi and seasoning —
to present sushi as it was truly meant to be enjoyed.

https://inline.app/booking/SHUTATSU/SUSHI?language=en