Discover Edomae Sushi in Tokyo, Where Nigiri Continues to Evolve

Sushi is one of the biggest icons of Japanese food culture, and it’s at the top of many traveler’s must-eat lists. There are various styles out there, but the one most people picture today is the classic nigiri style, which consists of a hand-formed mound of vinegared rice topped with a slice of fish or seafood. What you might not know is that this familiar nigiri style traces its roots back over 200 years to Edomae sushi, born in Edo—the old name for Tokyo. Edomae sushi isn’t just historic; it developed its own set of techniques crafted to highlight the incredible seafood once pulled from Tokyo Bay. Many of these skills are still used by sushi chefs today, and they continue to evolve with the times. In this article, we dive into the history and enduring traditions of Edomae sushi—and show you how to enjoy it at Tokyo’s modern sushi spots.

The Origin of Nigiri Sushi: Edomae Sushi

Sushi-making techniques honed by artisans through years of dedicated practice (Chef Aoki, Ginza Sushi Aoki)

Sushi has become a global cuisine enjoyed all around the world. Beyond the well-known nigiri style, sushi comes in many forms—maki-zushi (rolled sushi), oshi-zushi (pressed sushi), and chirashi-zushi (scattered sushi), and more. And as sushi has spread overseas, entirely new styles have emerged, like the now-iconic California roll.

And even within the nigiri style, there’s a huge range of ways to enjoy it—from high-end sushi restaurants where chefs craft each piece right in front of you, to casual conveyor-belt spots perfect for families.

Among the many styles of sushi, Edomae sushi is best known as the origin of nigiri. It’s said that Yohei Hanaya, who ran a sushi shop in Ryogoku, was the one who established the combination of fresh fish and vinegared rice that defines nigiri today. Designed as a kind of fast food for the busy townspeople of Edo, his quick-to-serve pieces of fish atop rice became hugely popular. This style came to be known as Edomae sushi—and its legacy continues today.

Edomae sushi is defined by more than just its nigiri style. One of its key characteristics is the sheer variety of raw fish used. Tokyo Bay has been a rich fishing ground since the Edo period, supplying a wide range of fish that locals enjoyed as sushi. Today, high-quality, freshly caught seafood from all over Japan is gathered at the Tokyo Metropolitan Wholesale Market also known as Toyosu Market— one of the largest fish markets in the country—which continues to support the abundance and exceptional quality of sushi served in Tokyo.

The second appeal of Edomae sushi lies in the skill of its experienced sushi chefs. These chefs know the character of each seasonal fish inside and out, and they are professionals at shaping sushi so that every piece is enjoyed at its best. Edomae sushi chefs, in particular, refine not only their nigiri technique but also methods such as simmering, grilling, and curing. This is because in the Edo period, there were no refrigerators or modern distribution systems, so sushi was made not only with raw fish but also with cooked or prepared fish. In this way, the long history of experimenting with different methods to bring out the best flavor in each type of fish is itself one of the defining charms of Edomae sushi. Ginza, especially, is home to many renowned sushi restaurants, where chefs continue to hone their craft and compete with one another every day. 

Traditional Techniques of Edomae Sushi: Zuke, Shime, and Nitsuke

Marinated tuna (zuke) is one of the signature toppings of Edomae sushi. (From the course menu at Ginza Sushi Aoki)

“Edomae” in Edomae sushi literally means “bay-entrance of Edo,” referring to what is now Tokyo Bay. Because the bay was already a rich fishing ground at the time, many kinds of fish were eaten there, and nigiri sushi made mainly with the fresh fish caught in Tokyo Bay came to be known as Edomae sushi.

However, in those days there were no refrigerators or modern transportation, making it difficult to keep raw fish fresh. To extend the shelf life, preparation methods such as zuke (marinating), shime (curing), and nitsuke (simmering) were developed.

Zuke, one of the signature preparation methods of Edomae sushi, is a traditional technique in which fish—most commonly tuna—is briefly marinated in a soy-based sauce to draw out its UMAMI and help preserve its freshness. UMAMI, discovered in Japan, is known as the fifth basic taste and is the key element that defines the flavor of dashi. Zuke not only enhances UMAMI, but the salt and amino acids in the soy sauce also suppress bacterial growth and oxidation, while drawing out moisture to maintain the fish’s freshness.

Shime is another traditional Edomae sushi technique in which silver-skinned fish—such as gizzard shad or mackerel—are lightly cured with salt and vinegar to bring out their UMAMI and firm up the flesh. Because these silver-skinned varieties are rich in fat and spoil easily, the antibacterial effect of vinegar plays an important role.

For kohada, the preparation involves ‘shime’—a curing process that draws out moisture from the fish using salt and vinegar. (From the course menu at Ginza Sushi Aoki)

In this way, a variety of preparation methods have developed to make each type of fish safer and more delicious to eat, based on its unique characteristics. Today, refrigerators and modern transport systems make it easy to keep raw fish fresh, but the traditional processing techniques of Edomae sushi are still very much alive. They’re not only useful for preservation—by adding different layers of flavor, they also let diners enjoy sushi without growing tired of it along the way.

The Appeal of Edomae Sushi: Carrying Tradition Forward While Creating the Next Wave of Innovation

Chef Aoki, the master chef of “Ginza Sushi Aoki,” an Edomae sushi restaurant in Ginza, says that the true appeal of Edomae sushi lies in its abundance of seafood and the skill of its craftsmen.

“Ginza Sushi Aoki” was founded in 1972, and its second-generation master, Toshikatsu Aoki, has been crafting Edomae sushi in Ginza for more than 30 years.

At Ginza Sushi Aoki, more than half of the sushi pieces are seasoned or prepared using techniques such as zuke for tuna or shime for kohada. Kuruma ebi (Japanese tiger prawn), for example, can technically be eaten raw, but boiling it firms up the flesh and brings out its natural sweetness. Even today, with modern preservation methods for raw fish, many toppings taste better when prepared rather than served raw—so each type of seafood is treated with the method that best enhances its flavor.

From the top left: simmered clams, kuruma ebi (tiger prawn), anago (conger eel), kohada, akagai (ark shell), sumi-ika (cuttlefish), seki-saba (Seki mackerel), and marinated tuna (zuke). (One example of a course offered at Ginza Sushi Aoki)

According to Chef Aoki, zuke and simmered preparations used to be the main techniques, but in recent years  started incorporating ingredients like rock salt and lemon, expanding the range of flavors. He explains that if you keep eating raw fish with soy sauce, the taste can become repetitive, so using salt or lemon helps add variety and refresh the flavor.

Tastes naturally change with the times as well. “If you want people to find your sushi delicious in every era, you can’t cling only to the old ways,” says Chef Aoki. While honoring Edomae traditions, sushi chefs continue to experiment and refine their methods so they can offer the kind of flavor that each generation is looking for.

Cooked toppings like simmered anago, simmered clams, and tamagoyaki are also part of the appeal of Edomae sushi. (An example of the raw fish served at Ginza Sushi Aoki)

At Ginza Sushi Aoki, even raw neta, the fish or seafood used for sushi, receives delicate knife work. These fine cuts—called kakushi-bōchō, or “hidden cuts”—help heat or seasoning penetrate more evenly.At Sushi Aoki, even raw toppings—such as akagai and seki-saba—receive fine hidden cuts, which improve both texture and presentation. Such careful craftsmanship in every single piece is one of the true pleasures of Edomae sushi.

At the counter, you can also appreciate the beauty of the chefs’ movements—like when a craftsman lightly brushes soy sauce over the surface of kohada. (Chef Aoki, Ginza Sushi Aoki)

For sushi chefs, their craft isn’t only about bringing out the best in each ingredient and shaping perfect pieces of sushi—it’s also about using every part of the fish without waste. At Ginza Sushi Aoki, the team explores ways to make use of everything, right down to the scales and bones, which are ultimately turned into dashi. This commitment to using every part of the fish reflects the long-standing mottainai spirit—an ethos that values not wasting resources—that has been passed down since the Edo period.

Chef Aoki also explains that because of climate change and shifts in the seafood market, some fish that used to be easy to get are now much harder to find. Sushi chefs feel these shifts directly through their day-to-day buying at the market, which is why they’re so grateful for what the sea provides—and why they try to use every part of each fish instead of letting anything go to waste.

Hearing these kinds of stories directly from the chef across the counter is one of the real joys of eating at a counter-style sushi restaurant in Tokyo. You get to watch every step of the preparation right in front of you and chat with the chef as you go—an experience that’s surprisingly rare even by global standards.

Chef Aoki says he hopes people enjoy sushi restaurants not just for the flavor, but also as a form of entertainment. “Watching the whole flow—cutting the fish, shaping the sushi right in front of you—that’s entertainment you can only get at a sushi counter. And I want guests to enjoy that while talking with the chef. A sushi restaurant is a kind of show, really.”


Because sushi toppings change with the seasons and vary from restaurant to restaurant, you can visit again and again and never get tired of the “sushi show” unfolding at the counter.

The counter-style experience lets you watch the sushi chef’s craft up close. (Interior of Ginza Sushi Aoki)

Because the counter-style setup brings you close to other guests, it’s important to be mindful of scent etiquette. Strong perfumes, scented hair products, and deodorants can disrupt the experience for both the restaurant and the people around you. In Japanese cuisine—especially sushi and washoku, where delicate aromas are essential—strong scents are considered to interfere with the taste. In Tokyo, it’s considered refined etiquette for both chefs and guests to work together to maintain the restaurant’s atmosphere as part of the dining experience.

Edomae sushi—shaped by the rich fishing grounds of Tokyo Bay and centuries of craftsmanship passed down since the Edo period—is a style of sushi unique to Tokyo. The city is home to countless sushi restaurants, each with its own selection of seafood and its own way of preparing it. At some Edomae sushi restaurants, you may even be served sashimi as a small appetizer before the nigiri. Rather than sticking rigidly to a single “correct” form of sushi, Tokyo’s chefs focus on finding the most delicious way to serve each fish in that particular season—an approach that continues to evolve every day.

Experiencing each restaurant’s uniquely evolved techniques and the passion of its sushi chefs across the counter is one of the true charms of Japan’s sushi culture. It’s a style of dining that lets you step deeper into the world of sushi.

Since the birth of nigiri sushi 200 years ago, Edomae sushi has continued to drive innovation in the sushi world. In Tokyo, you can experience both its deep traditions and its cutting edge at the same time—so why not discover Edomae sushi in the city where it all began?

The entrance of Ginza Sushi Aoki, designed to evoke a sense of authentic Japanese atmosphere.