Sushi is a gourmet that has long been loved by many people worldwide.

It is a dish that can be enjoyed as appetizers at house parties along with champaign or as the main entree at many popular sushi restaurants all over the world. In Japan, sushi is to Japanese people what dim sum is to the Chinese. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of sushi worldwide.
No two restaurants will serve the same types of sushi (unless it is a restaurant chain with one menu). What makes a sushi restaurant unique and different from all others is its sushi chefs’ ability to create original and tasty types of sushi. The different types of sushi offered by a restaurant is limited by the chef’s imagination.

Types of sushi available can be categorized into three main groups

Common sushi, popular sushi and exotic sushi. Common types of sushi are sushi you can find in pretty much all restaurants and at the deli section of Japanese supermarkets. While popular types of sushi are sushi that is adapted to local tastes.
For example, one of the most popular types of sushi in California is the California roll. Although delicious tasting sushi, you will not find this in any sushi restaurants in Japan. Exotic types of sushi are basically sushi made of, you guessed it, exotic fish and served in specialty sushi restaurants. For the daring, next time you visit a sushi restaurant ask if they serve Kujira (whale sushi).

Within these three categories, you can find these main forms of sushi.

Nigiri Sushi

Nigiri Sushi is one of the most popular types of sushi, loved and eaten around the world. In this Sushi type, vinegared rice are pressed to turn them into a shape with fish and other ingredients, normally referred to as ‘Neta’ are spread above it. The fishes normally used in this sushi are tuna, mackerel, salmon and eel etc. While eating this sushi, do enjoy the soya sauce dipping part but ensure dipping only the fish part otherwise your rice will be dunked into soya sauce and won’t remain in the shape you can eat easily.

Maki Sushi

Maki sushi is also called as roll sushi since you will be eating the sushi, cut into small rolls. Maki sushi is also one of the very popular types of sushi. In this dish, a suitable-sized layer of rice is placed on seaweed with fish along with other flavoring items above it. Afterward, the sheet is being rolled and that is why this sushi is been referred as roll sushi. Now as one can pretty much see the ingredients in the rolls, the chefs often try to make this dish look as appealing as possible.

Temaki Sushi

This type of sushi is similar to maki sushi in that it is sushi wrapped with nori (seaweed). However it is not in the form of a cylindrical roll but rather cone-shaped. The Most popular types of temaki sushi are salmon, maguro, unagi and salmon roe.

Oshi Zushi

In Oshi Sushi, rice is put into some container with the flavoring items above it, including the fish etc. and then they are being compressed to make them of small eatable-sized chunks. This sushi is popular in Kansai area.

Chirashi Sushi

Chirashi sushi though is not as common as the Nigri and Maki sushi are, is yet a delicious dish and loved by those who have once tasted it. In Chirashi sushi, vinegared rice is put into a bowl and all the different ingredients including the fish or any other seafood are placed above it.

Japanese love sushi for its great taste and for the many health benefits fish nutrients bring, particularly the omegas. Thoughts of eating raw fish may scare some from trying tasty sushi. If you’re just starting out, I suggest you try the most common types of sushi then slowly work your way up to the exotic types of sushi. But where ever you are I am sure there are many types of sushi you’ll love.