The Hub – Issue 4

It’s a great time to celebrate. It’s spring, Sushi Hub is having another birthday, Japan has welcomed a new emperor on its Chrysanthemum Throne and of course there is Halloween.

In this issue, we look at the heritage of Emperor Naruhito’s ancient monarchy and reveal how he holidayed with an Australian family at the beach in Victoria as a young prince.

And as we celebrate, let’s raise a glass to the long list of Japanese inventions that changed the world. Everything from the automatic rice cooker and super fast trains to instant noodles and the camera phone – things that we take for granted for helping make a perfect world.

But perfection is in the eye of the beholder. There is beauty in imperfection. We delve into the Japanese philosophy and aesthetic of wabi sabi, the mindset of finding beauty in the aged and worn and embracing the perfection of being imperfect.

Then there’s “the black stuff wrapped around sushi”. Nori, or Porphyra seaweed, is that essential ingredient found in a sushi chef’s box of tricks. We look at how it began, how it is made and how it almost disappeared.

It may be our birthday, but read on to find out how you get the goodies. And to help you celebrate, we introduce some new products to be found at your favourite Sushi Hub store.