Sushi Shokunin: A Living Treasure

Next time I'm in Tokyo I'll be sure to visit Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza for some of the world's greatest sushi made by a certified national treasure of Japan (人間国宝). Jiro Ono is an artisan, the type of expert the Japanese refer to as a "Shokunin," or master craftsman of the trade.

I miss Japan. Yes, Edmonton may have delicious cupcakes thanks to Fuss on Whyte, but whither sushi? So I've written a poem to console myself in its absence:

Sushi

All the colours of a chef's palette
drift through the floating world
of a sushi bar

crimson
ivory
orange
and beige

The smooth flesh
of each raw mineral
flows through your lips
like a cool deception

maguro
bintoro
unagi
hamachi

They begin to melt
watery and marbled
until a bright dot of wasabi
suddenly sabotages
your freshly painted palate
in a riot of white fire

Here's the trailer for the recent film, "Jiro Dreams Of Sushi," a must see.