What are Sushi Plates? 9 Things to Know about Sushi Platters

by Cassandra Lord | CRAFT

Half-Moon Sushi Plate, available at Japan Objects Store

Sushi has become a worldwide phenomenon, with everything from simple Japanese takeout to luxurious sushi dinners available in so many countries these days. But sometimes it can seem like a daunting task to serve sushi properly at home or to guests.

Here, we’ll take a look at some of the sushi basics, and how to serve up a meal that looks irresistible using the delicate beauty of Japanese ceramics.

Contents

1. What is a Sushi Plate?
2. How is Sushi Traditionally Served?
3. How to Use Sushi Platters: Moritsuke
4. How are Sushi Plates Made?
5. Where Does Sushi Come From?
6. What is the Difference Between Sushi and Sashimi?
7. What are the Different Types of Sushi?
8. What to Serve with Sushi or Sashimi?
9. Where to Buy Sushi Plates?

1. What is a Sushi Plate?

Half-Moon Sushi Plates, available at Japan Objects Store

Sushi plates are plates designed for serving sushi in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Of course, it’s possible to serve sushi on any plate, and for more casual sushi like temaki sushi, something decorative might not be necessary. But for many, sushi is reserved for a special occasion, so requires special tableware to fit that occasion.

Long Sushi Platter, available at Japan Objects Store

Sushi platters come in different shapes and sizes, but perhaps the most common is a flat, rectangular plate that allows the sushi to sit perfectly without toppling or crowding.

2. How is Sushi Traditionally Served?

Sushi has evolved through various forms, the serving method changing along with it. At one point it was served wrapped in a bamboo leaf or other plant, and at another was simply eaten with your hands.

One of the traditional Edo ways was to serve sushi on wooden geta! This is usually the word reserved for traditional raised sandals, but became a popular way to serve sushi to raise it above the countertop. The geta, which is still used in some places today, was often made from hinoki wood, as it was thought to have antibacterial properties. These days, sushi is served on anything from geta to plastic plates at 100-yen sushi spots.

When eating sushi at home, however, many choose to use special plates made in areas famous for pottery and ceramics. Kutani ware and Bizen ware are good choices for a traditional look. This bizen ware sushi platter for example, has the perfect aesthetic to show off your homemade sushi with its contrasting dark colour. It’s hard to go wrong with this contemporary take on traditional Bizen ware.

3. How to Use Sushi Platters: Moritsuke

Moritsuke (盛り付け) is the Japanese art of presenting food in a delicious way.

A Japanese meal typically involves several smaller dishes served at once, rather than one focus dish. So, with moritsuke, the individuality of each dish is highlighted to create an inviting dinner scene

Square Sushi Platter, available at Japan Objects Store

To make your dinner table look aesthetically pleasing the Japanese way, it’s important to pay attention to the seasons, and to pair your plates with your food. For example, this dark colored bizen ware plate like this could be perfect in autumn or winter paired with smaller plates of similar colours. Or, it could make a nice contrast piece, as the darker colours will contrast with the white of the sushi rice, and could be complemented by smaller white dishes with dark toppings.

4. How are Sushi Plates Made?

The best sushi plates in Japan are usually handmade ceramics. As these items are not mass-produced, they display a unique appearance that complements the meal.

Square Sushi Plates available at Japan Objects Store

Bizen ware ceramics are a good example. During the long wood-firing process, the artisan doesn’t touch the wares, so it takes years of experience to know how to place the ceramics in the kiln to achieve the greatest outcome. The final appearance of each piece is not entirely predictable, making every dish or teacup wholly original and unique. Making Bizen pottery is so arduous that most kilns only do a firing once or twice a year, or even less.

5. Where Does Sushi Come From?

Sharing Sushi by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1884

Sushi has almost come full circle, as it was originally an accessible and common way of preserving fish, which then became a delicacy, and has now once again become easily accessible again at 100-yen conveyor belt sushi restaurants around Japan!

It is said that sushi has its origins in nare sushi in the 3rd century BCE, where fish would be fermented in barrels with salt and rice. The salt and rice would be scraped off, and only the fish would be eaten. The process took around a year, but made use of excess fish that appeared during floods.

Bowl of Sushi by Utagawa Hiroshige, 19th Century

Over time, the process was shortened further and further. To mimic the sour flavours of the long-fermented version, vinegar was used to flavour the rice, and cured fish was served on top. In the Edo period (19th century), the fish was cured very quickly, then served on a large ball of rice to hungry workers passing by.

Finally, refrigeration came around, and sushi became a luxurious way of tasting raw fish without the need for fermentation. But only the wealthy few had access to it. Now, with refrigeration everywhere, it’s much easier to come across.

6. What is the Difference Between Sushi and Sashimi?

Sushi and sashimi are sometimes conflated, so it’s important to know the difference to get things right when ordering at a restaurant.

Sashimi is raw fish cut into bite-sized slices. It is not typically served with rice, except in the case of sashimi don (刺身丼), which is a bowl of rice with various sashimi slices on top.

However, in modern Japan, sashimi can also refer to non-fish items, too. Sometimes you might see avocado sashimi (アボカド刺身), which is simply raw slices of avocado. Some restaurants use the word sashimi for slices of vegetable served on their own.

Sushi, on the other hand, always includes vinegared rice. It may be served as a small ball of rice with something on top, or as a roll with a filling. The filling can vary between raw fish, cooked fish, vegetables, and even fried items.

7. What are the Different Types of Sushi?

Many people are familiar with one or two types of sushi, but in reality, the world of sushi is much more varied.

The main types of sushi you might come across in Japan are:

Nigiri (握り): Rice moulded by hand with fish or another topping pressed on top

Maki (巻き): A filling surrounded by rice and nori seaweed (what is nori seaweed?)

Uramaki (裏巻き): An “inside out roll”, with filling enclosed by nori seaweed followed by rice

Chirashi (ちらし): Scattered sushi. Pieces of fish or toppings are served scattered on top of a serving of rice

Temaki (手巻き): Hand-rolled sushi

Gunkan (軍艦): Rice horizontally wrapped in nori with a topping

8. What to Serve with Sushi or Sashimi?

Typically, sushi is considered a meal in its own right, and not a side or small dish to be accompanied by something larger.

Sushi is most commonly served with wasabi, pickled ginger, soy sauce and miso soup.

However, if you would like to go a bit further with your meal, you can also serve dishes like tamagoyaki (卵焼き; rolled egg omelette), pickled vegetables, seaweed salad, or even tempura. Each one of these could be served on a small plate hand-picked for the dish for an extra flair.

9. Where to Buy Sushi Plates?

If you are in Japan, it is fairly simple to get your hands on some nice sushi plates. Most homeware stores will sell rectangular sushi plates in a variety of designs.

You could also go to areas in Japan known for their kitchenware shops, such as Tokyo’s Kappabashi Street in Asakusa, or the Dotonbori area in Osaka. These areas are frequented by culinary professionals, so you can find some real gems there.

But if you’re not in Japan, don’t worry, we have you covered. In Japan Objects Store you can check out a collection of handmade ceramic sushi plates from specially selected kilns from across Japan.