If you ever go to a kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant, you may notice a tap on every table. Usually located next to the tap is a small box filled with green tea powder. Yes! The tap dispenses hot water so you can make yourself a soothing cup of tea.
Sushi and green tea? It may seem like an odd pair at first, but the tea actually helps remove any oily or salty flavors after consuming raw fish with soy sauce, which then helps cleanse the palate for your next sushi choice. Green tea also has five times the amount of vitamin C as a citrus fruit, containing powerful antioxidants and aiding in digestion.
These are the main reasons why you will see a lot of people sipping tea while eating sushi–it’s a great palate cleanser and healthy drink.