Sushi Sohei has one omakase degustation course served in two sittings each day. Delectable seasonal seafood enters the stage as seven appetizers and around ten nigiri sushi pieces. Hoping to retain the fun and excitement for first-timers of dining somewhere new, the chef does not allow guests to take photographs of the appetizers. The nigiri component begins with squid and white-fleshed fish and moves to maguro and silver-skinned fish, known as hikarimono, before proceeding to lusciously rich sea urchin and plump shrimp. Anago conger eel is the distinctively Edomae sushi closing nigiri, followed by the simply delicious yet deceptively complicated egg omelet.

Chef Matsukura carefully eyes his seafood to find the perfect timing for service, waiting patiently for peak balance in the umami components of inosinic and glutamic acid. With tuna, for example, akami lean meat and marbled otoro are both typically aged for two weeks. The chef then chooses the preparation that matches his rice for each bite’s perfect burst of umami. He distills foods to their most natural, simplest form, removing all unnecessary toppings and additions. This subtraction equation can sometimes be confused with corner-cutting, but the two are nothing alike. Success in the equation of subtraction demands alignment of high-quality seafood, an innate sense of timing, and skillful preparation, allowing guests to focus entirely on the pure seafood umami.

The Sushi Sho philosophy shines through in the key nigiri sushi element of rice, flavored with red vinegar for aged, richer flavors and white vinegar for more delicate seafood toppings. Matsukura’s arduous search for the best rice led him to a variety nicknamed “phantom rice” because of how little of the crop makes it out of its native Gifu Prefecture. Not available until November, in contrast with most rice crops marketed from September or October, the rice is called Hatsushimo, meaning first frost – a reference to its late harvest time. The steady ripening process yields large grains with a sweetness that negates the need for sugar in the seasoning.

Matsukura’s specialty is, without a doubt, nishin Pacific herring. Brought into port at Abashiri on the east coast of Hokkaido, the chef explains how the flesh is different in nishin varieties from the west and coast of the big island. The eastern type has fattier flesh balanced perfectly by curing in salt and vinegar – the former to remove unwanted oils and moisture, the latter to imbue the fish with a satisfying, refreshing aftertaste. In this Edomae treatment of Hokkaido fish, all that remains is a delicate yet luscious flavor.

For now, seafood arrives at Sushi Sohei from Japanese ports near and far, but ultimately, the chef aims to serve an entire Edomae sushi course using only Ezo seafood, a reference to Hokkaido’s former name. There are two main styles of sushi: one involves fresh seafood toppings served as-is atop shari vinegared rice ovals; the other applies toppings of meticulously marinated, cured, or pressed seafood to rice ovals typically flavored with akazu red vinegar. The latter is the Edomae sushi style. Hokkaido sushi trends lean toward the fresh seafood form, but Matsukura will soon embark on a challenge to apply Edomae techniques to exclusively Hokkaido seafood. This contribution to local production for local consumption holds great significance for a Tokyo-born chef shaping sushi in his adopted home of Sapporo.

INGREDIENTS
Sushi Sohei’s carefully curated seafood selection arrives direct from seafood masterminds around Japan: Oyama Sengyo-ten in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, is famous for its shinkei-jime preparation in which the spinal cord is severed to preserve freshness and umami; and Sasue Maeda Sakana-ten in Yaizu, Shizuoka, is known for individual preparations to suit chef’s needs. Chefs all over the country are desperate to source from these suppliers. That Matsukura can secure such premium ingredients is a testament to a career polished at the best sushi restaurants and outstanding communication skills.

Local Hokkaido fish and shellfish include nodoguro blackthroat seaperch fished by the family of Chef Matsukura’s wife in Yubetsu, Hokkaido, on the Sea of Okhotsk. As you hear the stories of the seafood’s origins, the decision to go independent in Hokkaido and the goal of exclusively serving Hokkaido seafood begins to make sense.