For leading food critic Masuhiro Yamamoto, sushi is part food, part theater, a dining experience unique among Japanese culinary traditions. From the closed-off tuna auctions of Tsukiji to the chefs who meticulously craft morsels of fish for loyal customers, each player has a role to play in this carefully scripted world.
"Sushi is different than the other traditional Japanese foods. Appearance and relationships are of utmost importance," says Yamamoto, a figure who became familiar to many Westerners after his appearance in the critically acclaimed documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."
Traditional and reluctant to change. To many Westerners who visit Japan, this is not only an accurate description of the sushi industry, it may also contain a grain of truth about Japanese society as a whole.