What is the difference between sushi and sashimi?

Find out why sushi is defined by vinegared rice while sashimi is sliced raw fish served alone, plus how nigiri, maki and chirashi fit in.

Published October 20, 2026 at 7:44 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Sushi is any dish built on vinegared rice, with toppings or fillings that may be raw fish, cooked seafood, egg, or vegetables. Sashimi is thinly sliced raw fish or other raw seafood served on its own, without rice. The two are often sold at the same restaurants, but only sushi depends on seasoned rice.

The core difference in plain terms

The easiest way to remember the difference is to look for rice. Sushi is a rice dish: short-grain rice seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt, combined with other ingredients called neta (the toppings or fillings). Sashimi has no rice at all. It is fresh raw fish or seafood, sliced with a very sharp knife and served by itself, usually with soy sauce and wasabi.

This also clears up a common misunderstanding. Sushi does not mean raw fish. Plenty of sushi uses cooked egg, grilled eel, cooked shrimp, pickled vegetables, or cucumber, and some of the most popular rolls contain no raw seafood. Sashimi, on the other hand, is usually raw (octopus is a frequent exception, since it is sometimes boiled), and it is often eaten as an early course in a formal meal or alongside sake.

The main types of sushi

Nigiri-zushi is the shape most visitors picture: a small oval of hand-pressed rice with a slice of topping laid across it, often with a dab of wasabi between the two. Maki-zushi is rolled sushi, where rice and fillings are wrapped in nori (dried seaweed) and cut into pieces. Thin rolls are called hosomaki, thick rolls futomaki, and inside-out rolls with rice on the outside are called uramaki.

Chirashi-zushi, whose name means "scattered sushi," is a bowl of seasoned rice topped with raw fish, egg, and vegetables. Temaki is a cone-shaped hand roll eaten with the fingers right after it is made. Inari-zushi is rice stuffed into a pouch of sweet fried tofu, and oshi-zushi is pressed sushi shaped in a wooden mold, a specialty of the Kansai region around Osaka.

What sashimi looks like and how it is served

Sashimi is usually arranged on a plate or wooden board with a mound of shredded daikon radish, a shiso leaf, and a dab of wasabi. Popular fish include tuna, salmon, yellowtail, sea bream, mackerel, and scallop, and the choice changes with the season. The way the fish is cut also varies by type, from flat slices to thin diagonal slices, cubes, or fine strips.

At a restaurant, sashimi is often ordered as a small plate to share, as part of a set course, or as a set meal where it comes with rice and miso soup in separate bowls. When rice is served beside the fish rather than under it, the dish is still sashimi, because the rice is not seasoned with vinegar or combined with the fish as a single item.

How to order each one

At a sushi restaurant you can order nigiri by the piece, choose a set of mixed pieces, or ask for rolls. At a counter, you can point or say the name of the fish; many restaurants also have picture menus or menus with English. Conveyor-belt sushi restaurants let you take plates as they pass or order on a touch screen, and plates are often counted by color or design when the bill is totaled.

To order sashimi, look for words like sashimi moriawase, meaning an assortment, or ask for a plate of a single fish. A sashimi set usually comes with rice, soup, and pickles. If you want only the raw fish and no rice, say so when ordering. If you want sushi with no raw fish, ask for items such as egg, cooked shrimp, or vegetable rolls.

Prices range widely, from inexpensive plates at conveyor-belt restaurants to high-end counters where a meal costs far more. Sashimi plates and sets are typically priced by the type of fish and the size of the portion, so check the menu or the restaurant's own page for current prices before ordering.

Eating etiquette for both

For nigiri, it is acceptable to pick the piece up with fingers or chopsticks. A common habit is to dip the topping side, not the rice, into a small amount of soy sauce, because rice soaks up sauce and can fall apart. Ginger slices are meant to cleanse the palate between different pieces, not to be eaten on top of the fish.

For sashimi, a small dish of soy sauce is provided. Wasabi can be placed on the fish or dissolved in the sauce according to taste; different people do it differently. Eat the lighter fish before richer, fattier ones when you can, since the order helps the delicate flavors come through. Finish each piece in one or two bites and keep the plate tidy.

Special cases: dietary needs, kids, and raw seafood

Travelers who avoid raw fish can still enjoy sushi. Cooked options include eel, shrimp, egg, and many vegetable rolls, and many restaurants offer a few cooked dishes on the side. Shellfish, fish, soy sauce (which contains wheat and soy), and sesame are common allergens, so state any allergy clearly in advance. Vegetarian diners should ask about fish-based stock and seasonings, since dashi may appear even in dishes that look vegetable-only.

Families with young children often choose conveyor-belt restaurants, where portions are small and options include cooked items and noodles. If you are pregnant, elderly, or have a health condition and want advice on raw foods, talk with a doctor before travel. Personal needs are best discussed with a health professional.

Common mistakes and planning tips

A frequent mistake is asking for sushi when you mean sashimi, or the other way around. Another is mixing a large amount of wasabi into soy sauce for nigiri, which can hide the flavor of the fish and is often discouraged at counters where the chef has already placed wasabi. Many travelers also forget that gari, the pickled ginger, is for cleansing the palate, not a garnish to pile on top.

For a smooth meal, check opening hours, since small counters often close in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. Try a lunch set at a local place for good value, look for plastic food samples at the entrance to see what a dish looks like, and keep a few menu words handy: sushi, sashimi, maki, chirashi, and tamago for egg. Ask staff for help whenever you are unsure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sashimi always served raw?

Sashimi is generally raw fish or seafood, but a few items such as octopus are often boiled before slicing. Some regional dishes lightly sear the surface, known as tataki. If you prefer cooked food, ask the restaurant which items on a sashimi plate are cooked.

Can you eat sushi with chopsticks or fingers?

Both are fine for nigiri. Many people use fingers because the rice is designed to be gently held and the piece stays intact. Sashimi is eaten with chopsticks. Hand rolls such as temaki are usually eaten with the fingers right after they are served so the seaweed stays crisp.

Why is sushi rice seasoned with vinegar?

Vinegar gives sushi rice its tangy flavor. Early forms of sushi preserved fish by fermenting it with rice, and over time the dish developed into the fresher form eaten today. Hand-pressed nigiri is generally linked to the Edo period, when it became popular in what is now Tokyo.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Tokyo, Made Simple is available on Amazon.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Is it safe to eat raw fish in Japan?, How do you open a convenience store onigiri? and Kaisendon: The Seafood Rice Bowl of Japan's Markets.