第44話: 北尾と栗田が築地市場を訪れ、夏子が寿司作りの現場で性別による偏見に直面する

44

Yamaoka's friend Shoichi Kitao takes him and Kurita to the Tsukiji fish market in the early hours of the morning which is alive with activity. They overhear an argument where the sushi restaurant owner Ms Natsuko claims the fish provided by the merchant Mr Uosata was unfit to eat. She maintains that women sushi chefs like her are looked down upon by society. When a famous kabuki actor visiting her restaurant says that women cannot make nigiri sushi, but his male companion and onnagata[h] criticizes his attitude. However, the onnagata also chastises Ms Natsuko for not creating a welcoming atmosphere in which to enjoy the sushi because she is too concerned about being compared with male chefs. Yamaoka invites Kitao and Natsuko to dinner and Natsuko is surprised to find the chef and owner is a woman, but feminine at the same time. The experience shocks Natsuko and she completely revises her approach into successfully making sushi with a beauty and elegance that a man could not match. (Source: Wikipedia)