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Sushi - The Japanese delicacy is as much about presentation as it is taste.

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Sushi - There is a lot of creativity and precision that goes into making every piece and roll. 

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Sushi - Making for an extremely colorful and stunning dish. 

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Sushi - The preparation of sushi is an art form and taken very seriously in the industry.

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Becoming a sushi chef - Becoming a itamae (cook, chef) of sushi is not so easy.

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Becoming a sushi chef - It takes years of hard work and practice, working alongside a master itamae.

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Becoming a sushi chef - The study period includes an apprenticeship period. 

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Becoming a sushi chef - It can take years before a student is even allowed to cook rice or cut fish.

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Becoming a sushi chef -

In one of Tokyo's most famous sushi restaurants, apprentices spend two years just cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes, preparing the kitchen, and scaling and gutting fish, according to CNN.

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Becoming a sushi chef - It is only in their third year that a student is given the opportunity to try their hand at preparing rice.

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Becoming a sushi chef - Once that is mastered, the next phase for a student is being promoted to a wakiita, which translates to "near the cutting board."

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Becoming a sushi chef - As a wakiita, a student gets to stand next to the master and learn how to cut fish.

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Becoming a sushi chef - Eventually a student may be allowed to start making pieces of nigiri for clients.

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'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' - A film that illustrates the grueling life of a sushi master is the 2011 documentary 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi.'

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'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' - It focuses on the life of Japanese sushi chef Jiro Ono.

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'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' - Ono is considered the world's greatest sushi chef and master. 

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Special visitor - When former US president Barack Obama visited Tokyo in 2014, he stopped into Ono's three-Michelin-starred sushi restaurant.

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Special visitor - Of his experience, the former president said, "I was born in Hawaii and ate a lot of sushi, but this was the best sushi I’ve ever had in my life," as per The New York Times.

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Sukiyabashi Jiro - Securing a reservation at the legendary restaurant is difficult and can be a frustrating experience.

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Sukiyabashi Jiro - There is a long list of people waiting to dine at the popular eatery.

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Sukiyabashi Jiro - Customers make reservations up to a year in advance. And if you do manage to score a date, it certainly won't be cheap.

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Sukiyabashi Jiro - Eating at the iconic restaurant will set you back nearly US$300.

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How to eat sushi - When it comes to eating sushi, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing so. 

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How to eat sushi - Sushi (which in theory should always be made fresh) should be consumed immediately. 

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How to eat sushi - Nigiri must actually be turned upside down to dip the fish into the soy sauce—not the rice.

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How to eat sushi - The reason being is that the rice can come apart if dipped directly into the sauce.

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How to eat sushi - It is considered amateur to let the rice and sushi disintegrate. 

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How to eat sushi - The rice could also absorb too much of the sauce's flavor and ruin the taste.

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How to eat sushi - Nigiri should be eaten inversely too.

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How to eat sushi - Meaning that the fish should always be the first thing to touch your tongue.

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How to eat sushi - Because of this upside down technique, you  might be surprised to learn that nigiri is actually best consumed using your hands, and not with chopsticks.

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How to eat sushi - Use chopsticks for eating sashimi, instead.

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How to eat sushi - The ginger that is often served alongside your sushi isn't meant to be eaten with your meal. 

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How to eat sushi - It is meant instead to cleanse the palate between different bites of fish. 

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How to eat sushi - And the greatest insult to an itamae when eating sushi?

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How to eat sushi -

Peeling the fish off your nigiri.

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Balance - In the end, sushi is all about balance of flavor.

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Balance - For example, too little rice and the fish becomes overpowering. 

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International Sushi Day - A fantastic day to go for some sushi is June 18.

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International Sushi Day - International Sushi Day is celebrated annually, worldwide.

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Health benefits - There are many nutritional benefits from eating sushi. 

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Health benefits - It might even help you live longer.

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Misawo Okawa - Until her death in 2015, Misawo Okawa was the oldest living person on the planet following the passing of Jiroemon Kimura.

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Misawo Okawa - The Japanese woman was 117 years old. 

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Misawo Okawa - Her secret to a long life? 

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Misawo Okawa - Eating sushi, according to the Daily Mail.

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Nyotaimori - In Japanese culture, nyotaimori is the practice of eating sushi off a naked woman. 

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Nyotaimori - Outside of Japan, there are many restaurants in North America that offer this type of service. 

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Nyotaimori - However, guests are expected to adhere to appropraite behavior at all times.  

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Nyotaimori - Talking with the models or making lewd comments is highly frowned upon.

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Nyotaimori - Nyotaimori is considered an art form. 

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Nyotaimori - But still, the practice is seen as very controversial by some. 

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Nyotaimori - People who condemn the practice call it humiliating, degrading, and sexually objectifying.

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Eating sushi - But no matter how you choose to consume your sushi...

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Eating sushi - ... whether off a traditional Japanese wooden platter or off a human body...

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Eating sushi - ...using chopsticks or your hands...

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Experience - ... eating sushi should be an experience to enjoy and savor. So...

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Sushi -

Itadakimasu!

Sources: (CNN) (The New York Times) (Daily Mail)

See also: The best rice dishes around the world

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