Where did sushi originate?

The earliest form, narezushi, involved packing salted fish in rice and leaving it to ferment for months; the rice was thrown away and only the fish eaten. This method spread to Japan by around the 8th century. Over time, the Japanese began eating the rice too and shortening fermentation, using vinegar instead. In the 1820s, in Edo (now Tokyo), nigiri sushi — a slice of fresh fish on hand-pressed rice — became a popular fast food sold from street stalls. Hanaya Yohei is often credited with popularising nigiri.