Wasabi is the typical Japanese product. You can't find its analogue among products, eaten in different countries. But some products may be similar with wasabi.

The real wasabi is made of a root of a plant, which is called Wasabi Japonica. This plant grows in special conditions: in flowing water at the temperature of 10-17°C. This root is called "honwasabi", which means "real wasabi".

The utilization of wasabi began in 1396 in Shizuoka. The inhabitants of Shizuoka presented wasabi to the future shogun Ieyashu Tokusawa. He liked this plant very much. So he began to distribute wasabi in other regions of Japan. The flavoring qualities of wasabi are dispersed non-uniformly. The highest type of root is more piquant than the lowest one. Japanese cookers concern to utilization of wasabi with great attention. They usually grate only necessary quantity of wasabi. The rest of root is turned in pellicle, to keep its taste qualities and smell.

Stalks and flowers of wasabi are also used in Japanese cuisine. Tempura is made of them. 3-4 years old roots are used for its cooking. Besides the real honwasabi, powder wasabi and wasabi in pills, are also widely used nowadays. But these are not real wasabi. Wasabi is made of a vegetable called wasabi-daikon (horse reddish wasabi). This plant has moved to Japan from Europe not very long time ago.

It is cultivated now in Hokkaido. This type of horse reddish is used as seasoning for roast beef in Europe. Honwasabi and wasabi-daikon are the different plants. But their piquant and taste qualities are the same. But in high class restaurants wasabi-daikon is not used. It is considered as fake. As wasabi-daikon is much cheaper than honwasabi, it has very wide use. Wasabi-daikon has white color. That's why green dye is added to make it similar with honwasabi. Mustard is also often added in tubes with wasabi-daikon to make paste softer.

Unfortunately honwasabi is not used in other countries. That's why sushi, made with paste from tubes or with wasabi-daikon powder, can't be considered as high-grades. The real sushi can't exist without real wasabi. Otherwise, wasabi has disinfections quality. This quality is very important in utilization of fresh seafood - fish, squids, shrimps etc.

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