When a pack of aburaage is called inari sushi, it’s usually just sushi rice. Inari sushi is named after the Shinto god Inari, as it is said to be. It is said that the fox, the messenger of Inari, likes fried tofu best, and the sharp corners of Inari sushi are like the ears of foxes.
Some local varieties do not use tofu, but thin tamagoyaki rolls (fukusazushi or chakinzushi). Not to be confused with Inarimaki, which is filled with delicious fried tofu.
Corn sushi is a variation of inari sushi, with triangular slices wrapped around rice, green beans, carrots or burdock. This is a Hawaiian invention. It is often served as part of a Japanese deli or bento box called okazuya.
