Sushi in Japan: check the seasoning

Raw fish and plain rice sound simple. The risk at a sushi counter is not the seafood. It sits in the rice seasoning, the sweet and savoury glazes, and the sauces around the fish.

Where can mirin or sake sit on a sushi plate?

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) warns that cooking sake and mirin are used in Japanese cooking, and some miso contains alcohol unless it is labelled additive-free¹. At a sushi counter, that shows up in a handful of places.

• Rice seasoning: the vinegar blend can differ between shops. Some include mirin or sake.
• Sweet omelette: the sweet seasoning in it can be mirin-based.
• Eel and conger glaze: the brushed sauce is a common place for mirin or sake.
• Steamed egg and soups: the base may hold sake, and miso soup may hold alcohol.
• Marinated fish and roe: items soaked in a sauce before serving.

Our guide on lard, mirin, cooking wine and gelatine shows the same names in other cuisines.

What should I order, ask about, or skip?

Group	Items	Action
Plain fish	Salted or plain raw fish, cucumber or plain vegetable rolls	Ask only about the rice seasoning
Ask first	Sweet omelette, steamed egg, marinated fish, roe, miso soup	Ask whether mirin or sake is used
Skip if strict	Brushed glazes, eel and conger, any item you cannot get an answer on	Leave it

The rice is shared by all three groups, so the rice seasoning question comes first.

How do I ask at the counter?

Counter staff are close enough to answer, and they know the recipe. Ask before you order, and keep it to one question per item.

• “Does the rice vinegar contain mirin or sake?”
• “Is there mirin or sake in the sweet omelette, the glaze or the soup?”
• “Can I have the fish plain, with soy sauce on the side?”

If the shop cannot answer, treat the item as unknown and order from the plain fish group. The translated dietary request cards carry these questions in Japanese. JNTO notes that alcohol is served in most Japanese restaurants², so expect sake on the counter menu even at a quiet shop.

What if my table is not all the same?

Agree the order on the way there. The plain-fish group is the easy common ground, and everyone can add their own extras from the ask-first list. Our guide to eating out with non-Muslim friends or colleagues helps with the wording.

Where you draw the line, including soy sauce, is your decision. For a ruling, ask your own ustaz or your state mufti office.

Your next step

Choose one sushi stop per city and write your three questions beside it. For other dishes where the same ingredients hide, read our Japan vegetarian and dashi guide and the Japan travel guide. The full food checklist is in our halal food hub.