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International Sushi Day

Food · June 18

International Sushi Day looks at sushi, the Japanese dish of vinegared rice paired with fish, vegetables or egg, and how Americans enjoy it.

International Sushi Day falls on Friday, June 18, 2027. That is 234 days away.

Sushi is rice seasoned with vinegar, usually a little sugar and salt, then paired with something else. That something might be raw fish, cooked shrimp, cucumber, avocado or a sweet slice of egg omelet. The rice is the defining part, not the fish, which surprises a lot of people. The day is marked in the United States too, in restaurants, grocery store cases and home kitchens.

The shapes have names. Nigiri is a small hand-pressed mound of rice topped with a slice of fish. Maki is rolled in a sheet of seaweed called nori and cut into rounds. Sashimi, often served alongside, is sliced fish with no rice at all, so strictly speaking it sits at the table as a guest.

American sushi has its own habits. The California roll, made with imitation crab, avocado and cucumber, turns the rice to the outside. Spicy mayo, tempura flakes and long creative rolls are common on menus here. Traditional counters tend to keep things simpler and let the fish and rice speak.

Eating it well takes very little instruction. Pickled ginger is meant to refresh the palate between pieces. Nigiri can be eaten with fingers, and a light touch of soy sauce on the fish side keeps the rice from falling apart. Wasabi is often already tucked under the fish by the chef.

Making rolls at home is easier than it looks, with a bamboo mat, cooled rice and fillings like cucumber and cooked salmon. The first few will be lopsided, and they taste fine anyway.

Ways to celebrate

• Try a kind of sushi you have never ordered before.
• Roll simple vegetable maki at home with a bamboo mat.
• Sit at a sushi counter and watch the chef work.
• Taste a piece of nigiri with soy sauce on the fish side.

Dates

All national days on June 18

Also on June 18

• Go Fishing Day
• National Flip Flop Day
• National Splurge Day
• International Picnic Day
• International Panic Day

Categories: Food days