Tokyo's Role in Creating A Global Food Phenomenon

ASLA's blog, The Dirt, dishes on how sushi, an ancient food, became modern in Tokyo, and conquered the world.

1 minute read

May 13, 2012, 11:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


What we, in the West, consider sushi was invented in Tokyo in the beginning of the 19th century. The Dirt provides the story, as told by professor Jordan Sand, Georgetown University, at the recent Food & The City symposium at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C.:

"With the need for "fast food," usually eaten on the run by Samurai and
their short-term mates out on the town, new variations of sushi came
into being. To fit the need, "restauranteurs first made street food
fancy and then they made it fast," said Sand. By the 1820s, these early
innovators stopped the pickling process and Nigirizushi (or sushi as we
know it in the West) became a "hit" among the Samurai and
commoners alike. What made sushi interesting, and perhaps transgressive,
was that it combined elite foods of the Samurai and street foods of the
common classes, creating a new form."

The story doesn't end there. Read on for more about the food's impact on the built and natural environments. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 in THE DIRT

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

7 hours ago - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

May 2 - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

May 2 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO