NEWS

After the last piece of sushi, a few quiet minutes in the tea room with matcha and a seasonal sweet: how ma and yoin shape the end of a meal.

Why some shari blends akazu with rice vinegar, how two salts shape sweetness then a clean finish, plus temperature, texture and July at the counter.

Ike-shime, neuro-shime and the Tsumoto bloodletting method: how fish reaches an eight-seat Tokyo counter, gilled and gutted, sealed and sent chilled.

How to think about dress and arrival time at a Tokyo omakase counter, why scent is kept light, why booking times matter, plus photograph etiquette.

Shinko is the young gizzard shad served for a few days in early summer. A calm Edomae reading of its season, its layered craft plus why chefs chase it.

Akazu, red vinegar from sake lees, gives Edomae sushi rice its amber hue. Trace its Edo history, its contrast with white vinegar, plus aged fish pairings.

Sushi in Tokyo is ordered two ways: omakase, led by the chef, plus okonomi, chosen piece by piece. A calm guide to both, with July's fish in season.

Nigiri welcomes hands as well as chopsticks. Learn how to hold a piece without crushing the rice, where the soy sauce goes, plus why timing matters most.

Why does aged fish taste so good? Two forms of umami hold the key: inosinic acid from ATP plus amino acids from enzymes. A calm look from a Tokyo counter.

Few sushi toppings divide diners like uni. Learn how murasaki differs from bafun, why alum can taste bitter, plus how to give sea urchin another chance.