The "Authenticity" of Sushi: Modernizing and Transforming a Japanese Food

• Main Author: Yang, Wen
• Other Authors: Pinnington, Noel J.
• Language: en
• Published: The University of Arizona. 2013
• Subjects: East Asian Studies
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10150/297043

Sushi is now recognized as a typical Japanese food throughout the world. Being sold in a wide variety of shops including both supermarkets and high-end restaurants, it has become one of the world's most coveted delicacies during the past few decades. This simple food has gained great popularity across the world which has resulted in a cultural phenomenon being shared across national borders and regions. Sushi's popularity and longevity contribute to both its perceived historical trajectory and its modern transformations. When talking about sushi, neither "tradition" nor "modern" can be ignored. In this thesis I will examine sushi's changes from its emergence in ancient Japan to the current sushi boom in global markets. I will explore the "authenticity" of modern sushi and its relation to its ceaseless evolution of sushi. I will show that with regulation from Japanese authorities and individuals the "Japaneseness" of sushi does continue.