Dutch Model Ella Freya’s Revelations on the Differences Between Japanese Sushi and Sushi Abroad Shock Many

“I wonder which one to start with~”

Arranging favorite sushi toppings such as ikura, salmon, crab, and natto rolls on the table, and contemplating with a smile, is Ella Freya (26), who hails from the Netherlands and showcases her multifaceted abilities as a fashion model, YouTuber, and more. She’s also an influencer with over 2.9 million followers on social media. This time, we closely followed Ella’s off-duty appearance in Japan, revealing a surprising side of her.

“I love sushi, so whenever I come to Japan, I make sure to go eat some. I’ve also tried Genki Sushi in Singapore and Sushiro in Thailand. Overseas sushi, like Genki Sushi, has an ethnic flavor profile, and they have a wide variety of seared sushi. The taste of sushi varies a bit depending on the country.”

At the Sushiro Shinjuku Nishiguchi branch she visited this time, there are giant monitors measuring about 50 cm vertically and 1.5 meters horizontally installed at each table, with sushi plates flowing on a “virtual lane.” This new store, called “Digital Sushiro Vision” (nicknamed “Digi-Sushi”), serves as an experimental store introduced to explore the possibilities of digital technology.

“The touchscreen menu can be set to English, so combined with the pictures, it’s pretty easy to understand. It’s hygienic and convenient that they prepare the sushi after you order and deliver it to your lane. Although there are conveyor belt sushi places in the Netherlands too, some of the items rotating on the belt for many rounds made me a little hesitant.”

Ella always makes sure to eat sushi when she visits Japan, but she recalls feeling bewildered when she visited a sushi restaurant in Tokyo four years ago and drew attention from the entire establishment.

“The regulars at the restaurant were checking my every move, commenting on how well I used chopsticks and that I could eat raw fish. It was embarrassing. I wanted to leisurely enjoy my meal with some sake, but I found the sushi chef intimidating, so I felt more comfortable at the casual conveyor belt sushi places.”

The Netherlands, being a coastal country, also has plenty of seafood available. Ella often sees salmon, sea bream, tuna, squid, flounder, halibut, and mussels at local fish markets. However, unlike in Japan, where fish is often presented alive to showcase its freshness, this isn’t common in Dutch eateries.

“In Japan, they would show you the fish alive before preparing it, but I don’t think that would be well-received by the Dutch. I was a bit surprised the first time I was shown that.”