Although it is well known that sushi originates from Japan, it actually originates from Southeast Asia. In fact, sushi was virtually unknown in Japan until the early 1900s. According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, the definition of sushi is “a Japanese dish in which various ingredients such as raw fish are added to vinegar-flavored rice and formed into balls or rolls” (author's page number). While most of this can be said to be true, it is actually not Japanese. So why is sushi a staple of Japan today, and how has it changed over the last century? Although different sources have different timelines (100-2500 years ago), the general idea is that sushi originated in the southern parts of Asia, more specifically in the waterway now known as the Mekong River. This is known for being the birthplace of "nare-zushi" which evolved into the sushi we know and love. This first type of fermented sushi was prepared with fresh, cleaned fish which was then filled with salt and stored in a salted wooden barrel. All the ingredients were then weighed down with a tsukemonoishi, or Japanese pickling stone, and left to dry for six months. This left the sushi fresh and good to eat for six months afterward. This nare-zushi slowly traveled north through southern China until it reached Japan. This became the basis for all modern techniques now used to prepare, present and eat raw fish. In today's Japan, the most famous form of the original nare-zushi is called funa-zushi, which is made with lake fish. Funa-zushi is quite rare nowadays and is generally only found north of Kyoto. When sushi first arrived in Japan, the Japanese aided the lengthy fermentation process by adding vinegar instead. This change made sushi fresher and increased the... center of paper... now a commonly consumed meal or snack. Occasionally people do this at home too. Due to the popularity it has spread to other parts of the world where tourists are found. I know there are quite a few places to eat sushi here in Bali. Even though almost no locals dine there, there are certainly enough interested tourists. The high demand for sushi in the West has made it easy for sushi to become a global cuisine. In conclusion, I discovered that although we all believe that sushi originated in Japan, this is not the case. And although many of us seem to think that sushi makes a good California Roll, that wasn't the case in the beginning. Maybe the Japanese don't even know where sushi comes from, even though it is their staple food and has been present in their country for so long. It seems like we all have a different idea of ​​what really happened and I'm happy to know it differently now.