In Nara, where there's no sea nearby, a unique local dish has become popular - Mackerel sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves. Historically, people brought mackerel from the Kumano Sea and preserved it with sea salt. During the three to four days of transportation from Kumano to Yoshino, the mackerel's umami flavors concentrated, resulting in a well-seasoned fish. To serve, they thinly sliced the mackerel and placed it on top of sushi rice, wrapping it in persimmon leaves. Today, with better delivery options for fresh fish, the tradition of wrapping mackerel sushi in persimmon leaves continues. This keeps the region's special food culture alive.

Why persimmon leaves? Nara is known as a production area of persimmons.