What is funazushi?

Funa zushi, is a fermented sushi made with funa, a fish of the carp family taken from Lake Biwa; a specialty of Shiga Prefecture and a traditional dish in all of Japan, it is said to show vestiges of the oldest sushi in Japanese history. It is a product of ancient Japanese wisdom and art.

Why is funazushi stinky?

Funazushi is fermented!

Making funa zushi takes anywhere from about a year to a good 2- years of ripening. The meat and bones grow soft as the fish are fermented in rice, and a distinct aroma, savor, and tartness emerges that is at times likened to cheese.

While sushi can be made from nearly any fresh, edible fish funazushi is traditionally made with a kind of Japanese goldfish called nigorobuna, unique to Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.

Originally a food preservation method to fortify rice farmers’ food stores through the rainy season, the fish is pickled in salt to draw out moisture, then compressed with steamed rice to seal out air and encourage fermentation. The resulting product, harvested several months later, evokes strong, tangy blue cheese, feet and perhaps a whiff of ammonia.