Toyama Traditional Speciality "Masu-no-Sushi"
Bright Pink-colored Toyama Speciality wrapped with Green
Bamboo-leaves In a Chic Wooden Container
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It is said that masu-no-sushi was first made in 1717 by Shinpachi Yoshimura, a clansman of the Toyama clan, who had an excellent cooking technique. It was presented to Toshioki Maeda, the third load, who was so satisfied with the taste that he appointed Shinpachi to the important post as masu-no-sushi maker. Thereafter, masu-no-sushi was presented to Yoshimune Tokugawa, the eighth shoogun, who was very enthusiatic about this Toyama speciality. Since then, masu-no-sushi has achieved the nationwide fame as Toyama speciality. You can enjoy not only its unique taste but its colorful contrast between pink, white and green. |
Toyama-grown Rice, a Masterpiece produced by Diligent People
and Unique Natural Environment
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The important conditions to get rice of high qualty are: 1. Big temperature gap between daytime and nighttime in summer. (This big temperature gap produces sweet-taste rice with high sugar degree.) 2. Good quality water flowing down from high mountains. Toyama meets these conditions. Toyama Prefecture is blessed with abundant clean water flowing down from mountains which are as high as 3,000 meters and fertile land created by a fan which is formed by about 300 rivers. In addition to these two conditions, the deep affection for rice and excellent technique of diligent farmers can not be neglected. |
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Toyama, the Kingdom of Water
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The east, south and west sides of Toyama are surrounded by high mountains, and the north side faces to the Toyama bay. This geographical feature leads to a unique climate which brings a lot of snow in winter. It is preserved in mountains (dam of snow) and gives an abundant cool water to the Toyama plain even in summer. The Environment Agency designated four spots from Toyama prefecture as the best waters in Japan. It is not too much to say that Toyama is a kingdom of water. |
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A Variety of Tastes produced by Water
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An abundant water of Toyama has widely been used for hydraulic powers, industrial water and agricultural water, and also helps produce a variety of vegetables and fruits such as apples, pears, persimmons and water melons as well as rice. The excellent brands of Toyama sake depend mainly on good quality water and Toyama-grown rice. The tasty water of Toyama is also sold as the best quality mineral water all over Japan. |
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Sushi created by a Good Combination of Rice and Fish
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Sushi was originally a kind of pickle, dated back to the 7th century when people used to mix some rice and fish to preserve fish by lactic-fermentation of rice. It was in the 18th century that people started using vinegar to make sushi. Masu-no-sushi is a masterpiece produced by perfect harmony of rice and fish! |
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How to Eat Masu-no-Sushi
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Turn the wooden container upside down, put masu-no-sushi wrapped in the bamboo- leaves on the container lid, and cut it into six or eight pieces by an attached knife. Eat it within two days after it is made. Keep it in the heated room in winter and in the cooled room in summer. If the temperature exceeds 30°C, keep it in the refrigerator for one or two hours before eating it. |
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