International Sushi Day

International Sushi Day is celebrated on June 18. It is a chance to enjoy one of the world’s most beloved dishes, whether that means visiting a favorite restaurant, trying somewhere new, or simply learning a little more about the craft behind each carefully made piece.

Chris DeMay founded the day in 2009 after floating the idea on Facebook, where sushi’s enormous popularity gave it instant traction. There is no official recognition behind it, but it has since been embraced by sushi lovers, restaurants, and food communities all over the world.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of International Sushi Day is the story it invites us to reflect on. Sushi’s origins stretch all the way back to 9th-century Japan, where it began not as a delicacy but as a practical method of preserving fish through fermentation with salt and rice. In this early form, known as narezushi, the rice was discarded entirely and only the preserved fish was eaten.

The transformation into something recognizable to modern diners came much later, in the early 19th century, when chef Hanaya Yohei introduced hand-pressed sushi, or nigiri, in Tokyo. His version paired fresh fish with seasoned rice and quickly became a popular street food before eventually spreading far beyond Japan’s borders.