Sushi Related Japanese Words
Maki-sushi
Maki-sushi means roll sushi in Japan. "Maki" means rolling.
When we use the word Uramaki regarding sushi, it means a kind of roll sushi which has rice outside the roll. The meaning of "Ura" is backside. In Uramaki the backside comes out on the surface of the sushi roll, so we call this type sushi "Uramaki". Usually we use half-size seaweed to make Uramaki and this creates middle size sushi rolls. But sometimes we use whole sheet seaweed to make big size Uramaki (we call this type of roll sushi "Futomaki").
Hosomaki is a small diameter roll sushi. Hoso comes from "hosoi" which means "small diameter" in Japanese. Hosomaki has a seaweed sheet outside of the roll and usually just one component at the center of the roll (occasionally it has two or more components at the center of the roll). To make Hosomaki, we use a half-size seaweed sheet.
Futomaki is a big sushi roll. "Futo" comes from "Futoi" which means "big diameter" in Japanese. There are two types of Futomaki; one has rice outside the roll and the other one has seaweed outside the roll. To make Futomaki we use a whole seaweed sheet.
Nigiri sushi has a piece of sushi "Neta" (see below) on a rice ball. We call this type of sushi "Nigiri Sushi (Nigiri Zushi)" or just "Nigiri". Nigiri is the most popular sushi in Japan. The word "Nigiri" means "grasp" in Japanese. To make Nigiri sushi we tenderly grasp rice to create a small rice ball in the palm of the hand, thus the name "Nigiri".
Inari sushi has rice inside a fried tofu curd pocket. We call fried tofu curd itself "Inari" or "Inari Age" in Japan, so we call this type of sushi "Inari Sushi" or just "Inari".
Neta is a Japanese word which means sushi components such as tuna, salmon, shrimp, etc, but it does not include rice, seaweed, wasabi, etc.
Gari
Gari means "pickled ginger" in Japanese.
Wasabi is Japanese horseradish. Usually we use powdered horseradish. But many sushi restaurants or sushi bars use grated horseradish. This grated wasabi taste is more powerful than the powdered one.
Murasaki
Murasaki means "soy sauce" in the sushi business world.
Shari
Shari means "rice" in the sushi business world.
Nori means laver (a kind of seaweed), but usually Nori means "sheet of dried laver".
Makisu is a bamboo sushi mat. We use this for making roll sushi.
