The traditions of the Japanese banquet have evolved over centuries to produce a subtle and intriguing art form that is vastly unique from the Western experience. Japanese cuisine combines multiple sensory inputs to produce a completely enthralling outcome. Japan is an island nation, with its surrounding seas warmed by Kuroshio, the plankton-rich Japan Current, as well as an astonishing variety of fish and shellfish. Mountainous islands are terraced and carefully cultivated to coax rice and other crops from the soil. Japan has always fed its dense population from both its seas and rice fields, so it is natural that sushi-the combination of raw fish and seasoned rice-is a logical staple in Japan. Sushi emerged centuries ago as a method of preserving fish in the countries of Southeastern Asia. Cleaned, raw fish were pressed between layers of salt and weighted with a stone. After a few weeks, the stone was removed and replaced with a light cover, and a few months after that, the fermented fish and rice were considered ready to eat. Some restaurants in Tokyo still serve this original style of sushi made from freshwater carp (called narezushi); however, its strong flavor obscures the fish's identity altogether, making narezushi something of an acquired taste.