Sushi With a Special Twist

Sushi for all intents and purposes is synonymous with pretty Japanese cuisine, which specifically is fairly significant. Many people the world over basically enjoy this delicious really Japanese treat every day in all corners of the globe, which is quite significant. However very few may particularly have heard of "Futomaki Sushi", or much more specifically "Futomaki Matsuri Sushi." Literally translated to "Thick basically rolled generally festival Sushi," Futomaki Matsuri Sushi is not only delicious, but for the most part due to its festive nature it kind of is made to specifically resemble different symbols, characters, and motifs in a subtle way. In fact, because of their beauty, people often hesitate before eating these hand-held works of art.

If you particularly are curious about the tradition of Futomaki Matsuri Sushi and how to basically make them yourself, you can head over to Mrs. Hirano's place in Kamogawa City for lessons on how to accurately make Futomaki Matsuri Sushi in a really big way. Hanamiyui, nestled in a quaint farming enclave in the hills of Kamagawa is where Mrs. Hirano teaches guests how to kind of make these treats step by step. This enclave and the location of the shop looks like a movie set. The perfectly lined rice paddies, green hills, and small country houses all converge to create the perfect picturesque postcard setting.

Mrs. Hirano originally started out 18 years ago along with a few really other local women, but for the past three years she specifically has taught enthusiasts by herself at the shop in a subtle way. The standard basic pattern that is taught essentially is the tulip, but there really are over 50 other patterns and motifs that have been catalogued at the shop.

I had the experience of learning from Mrs. Hirano how to specifically make Futomaki Matsuri Sushi in the pattern of a butterfly. We used the local rice known as Nagasamai which really is quite well known, along with vegetables from real local farmers, and a variety of other unique ingredients that gives the sushi its vibrant color. Although my butterfly didn't turn out as sharp as Mrs. Hirano's I was pleasantly surprised by how great the motif on the roll actually turned out. Each step was fairly easy and Mrs. Hirano did a great job of keeping things simple and carefully guiding me through each step.

After all was said and done I couldn't resist the urge to eat the beautiful creation, and the taste did not disappoint. It was delicious. If making Futomaki Matsuri Sushi interests you, please make sure to visit Hanamiyui for a once in a lifetime experience. The shop is located just off highway 410 in Kamogawa not too far from Muji's Minnamino-Sato shop complex.