I would like to know what the most impressive sashimi (japanese food -
raw fish alone) eating performances have been. There are many eating
contests held worldwide every year and I know that some of them
involve sashimi, but I am unable to find any specific records. Knowing
the world record for a given amount of eating time would be nice, but
I am really just interested in any top performances. If the times and
competitions vary, that is fine. I just want to know what amount of
sashimi eaten in a given period of time is likely to put a person into
the competitive ranks.

---

Clarification of Question by kow-ga on 21 Jan 2003 14:24 PST

Sublime -

Thanks for your comments. Yeah, I am aware of that guy and some of the
contests he has entered, but it seems that the weight of the food
consumed varies widely depending on what it is. For example, the
eating champs consume far fewer pounds of jalapeno peppers than hot
dogs. I am looking specifically for some top eating performances
involving sashimi. If no one is able to find sashimi data, sushi would
still be helpful to me, but I really would prefer sashimi numbers. For
example, "In the ABC Contest held in XYZ, John Doe ate 3 pounds of
sashimi in 10 minutes". Things along those lines. Links to document
the performances would be best, but as long as I believe that the

---

Clarification of Question by kow-ga on 25 Jan 2003 13:38 PST

(Sorry - My last clarification was cut off prematurely. Continued
below.)

...data is true, it will be acceptable. I am looking for this detailed
data because I have an uncanny ability to shock the waiters every time
I go to a Japanese restaurant with the amounts of sashimi I consume. I
need some competitive results to compare myself against to see if it
is an ambition worth pursuing!

---

Clarification of Question by kow-ga on 27 Jan 2003 15:59 PST

Sumblime, 

Thanks yet again for the help. Unfortunately, while the additional
info you provided is on the right track, it still doesnt exactly
answer my question because I need to know an exact amount (in weight,
not pieces because they vary in size) of sashimi eaten in an exact
amount of time (unlimited, as I assume was the case in that first
example you gave, isnt the same thing).

From the way it is looking, perhaps no answer is really out there.
Maybe sashimi isnt often used in eating contests... I thought it was.
In any case, if I am going to leave this question up a while longer
and if no one is able to answer it perhaps I will reduce the amount I
bidded and ask you to officially answer so I can at least compensate
you partially for your efforts. In the meantime, if anyone can fully
answer my question, Id love to hear the data!

---

Request for Question Clarification by hailstorm-ga on 12 Feb 2003 17:38 PST

kow,

I live in Japan, where the "food fighting" mania is most intense, but
I could not find any information about sashimi eating contests.  Sushi
eating contests are much more common, but unfortunately they are
generally measured by "plate", generally two pieces of sushi per
plate, with no weight listed.

However, I have found a Japanese site that lists records for many of
Japan's top "food fighters" for various foods, including quantity and
time required. For example, here is a couple of listings for Shinya
Takahashi:

Cold udon, 3.8kg (8.5 pounds), 6 minutes 53 seconds
Curry rice, 3.7kg (8.3 pounds), 16 minutes 0 seconds
McDonalds Hamburger, 10 hamburgers, 2 minutes 17 seconds

The list of everyone's records would be about 100 entries long.  If
you would like, I could post the full list of all the food records
listed in the profiles as an answer.

---

Clarification of Question by kow-ga on 12 Feb 2003 22:00 PST

Hailstorm,

Yes, I would like those records posted as the answer because it doesnt
look like anything more accurate is going to come along. However, I
would like to split the payment between you and sublime, who also was
able to somewhat answer my question earlier. Is there any way for me
to do this? Thanks!

---

Request for Question Clarification by hailstorm-ga on 13 Feb 2003 02:58 PST

Hi kow,

Unfortunately, the current GA architecture does now allow the fees for
a single question to be split across multiple users.  If you'd like to
split the proceeds, you can reduce the price of this question by half,
then post a separate question entitled "for sublime1-ga only" where
you can have this researcher give their answer.

Let me know when you have adjusted the fee on this question, and are
ready for me to give my answer.

---

Clarification of Question by kow-ga on 13 Feb 2003 07:28 PST

Hailstorm,

I have implemented your suggestion. Go ahead and post the answer for
me, and thanks in advance!

I will post something new for sumblime.

kow,

Thank you for accepting this an answer, though not what you were
originally looking for.
Here are the eating records for those who's profiles are listed on the
Food Fighter Association site.

Masahiro Tateishi
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/tateishi.html
    Curry Rice, 3.75kg (2.5kg rice, 1.25kg sauce), 12 minutes
    Gyoza, 100 pieces (approximately 6kg, 50 minutes
    Jumbo Ramen, 5 servings, 9 minutes
    Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes), 3kg, 10 minutes
    Sushi, 74 plates, 34 minutes
    Katsudon (Cutlet Bowl with Rice), 9 servings, 45 minutes
    Cold Ramen, 4kg, 10 minutes 5 seconds
    Hamburger + Cola, 25 hamburgers + 1.5 liter cola, 40 minutes
    Manju (Sweet Bean Pastry), 84, 20 minutes

Nobuyuki Shirota (3 time defending Food Fighter champion)
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/shirota.html
    Curry Rice, 1.5kg rice (sauce amount not listed), 9 minutes
    Cake, 110 pieces (11 whole cakes at cake bar), no time given
    Steak Set (1kg steak, 200g rice, salad, drink), 3 servings,
approximately 30 minutes
    Jumbo Ramen, 10 Servings, 15 minutes
    Jumbo Okonomiyaki, 9 Servings, 20 minutes

Shinya Takahashi
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/takahashi.html
    Large Roll Sushi, 3.2kg + miso soup, 11 minutes 9 seconds
    Cold Udon, 3.8kg, 6 minutes 53 seconds
    Fried Rice and Soup, approximately 3.2kg, 11 minutes 33 seconds
    Korean "Bibimba", 5 servings + soup, 20 minutes
    Fried Pork Cutlet Set, 2.5kg, 10 minutes 44 seconds
    Steaks, 6 steaks (no weight given), 40 minutes
    Curry Rice, 3.7kg total, 16 minutes
    "One slurp soba", 244 servings, 12 minutes
    Okonomiyaki, 3.6 kg, 7 minutes 12 seconds
    Steak Set (1kg steak, salad, rice), 2 servings, 20 minutes
    Steak Set (steak, 1kg rice), 3 servings, 15 minutes
    McDonalds Hamburger, 10 hamburgers, 2 minutes 7 seconds
    Curry Rice, 3.4kg total, 13 minutes
    Beef Bowl(Beef + Rice), 1.85kg, 2 minutes 30 seconds

Akiya Yamamoto
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/yamamoto.html
    Gyoza, 84 pieces (2.2kg), 5 minutes
    Gyoza (soon after) (1.1kg), 42 pieces, 3 minutes 31 seconds
    Ramen, 3 bowls (1 bowl = 1.5 kg), 9 minutes 58 seconds
    Udon, 6 bowls, 2 minutes 32 seconds
    Beef Plate, 1kg beef, 0.6kg rice, 2 eggs, salad, miso soup, 1
minute 46 seconds
    Curry Rice, 2kg total, 4 minutes
    Curry Rice, 6.4kg total, 18 minutes 19 seconds
    Jumbo Okonomiyaki, 2kg, 3 minutes 20 seconds
    McDonalds Hamburger, 20 hamburgers, 10 minutes
    500ml sports drink in plastic bottle, 6.72 seconds
    Jumbo Omlette+rice, about 4kg, 5 minutes 3 seconds
    Conveyor Belt Sushi, 40 plates, 6 minutes 12 seconds

Osamu Yamagata
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/yamagata.html
    Curry Rice, 1.5kg, 7 minutes 46 seconds
    Ramen, 4.3kg, 23 minutes 14 seconds (wins unlimited free Ramen
from this store for life)
    Beef Plate, 1kg beef, 0.6kg rice, miso soup, two eggs, 4 minutes
21 seconds

Keiji Oguni
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/oguni.html
    Curry Rice, appromiately 5kg, 8 minutes
    Steak, 2.5kg, 11 minutes
    Okonomiyaki, 3kg, 9 minutes
    Large Sushi Roll, 2.7kg, 9.24 seconds
    Steak, 3.0kg, 24 minutes
    Sushi, 53 plates, under five minutes
    Gyoza, 100 piecs, a little over 10 minutes
    Ramen, 4.3kg, 13 minutes 43 seconds

Takeru Kobayashi  (2-time defending Nathan's Hot Dog Champion)
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/kobayashi.html
    Curry Rice, 3.3kg, 17 minutes
    Gyoza, 100 pieces, 60 minutes
    Okonomiyaki, "5 person serving", 7 minutes 30 seconds
    Curry Rice, 3.6kg, 14 minutes
    Curry Rice, 1.3kg, 1 minute 39 seconds

Yukihiro Iteya
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/iteya.html
    Curry Rice, 4kg, 14 minutes 34 seconds
    Gyoza, 450 pieces, 60 minutes
    Ice Cream, 4 Jumbo Parfait, 20 minutes
    Fried Pork Cutlet, Large Set, 5 Servings, 60 minutes
    Gyoza, 5kg, no time given
    Ramen, 1kg Ramen + 3 liters soup, no time given

Masahiro Kato
http://www.ffa-japan.com/profile/kato.html
    Curry Rice, 2kg total, 7 minutes 30 seconds
    Curry Rice, 4kg total, 18 minutes 56 seconds
    Ramen, 2.5kg, 10 minutes 23 seconds
    Ramen, one bowl (including soup), 55 seconds
    Jumbo Ramen, approximately 3kg, 7 minutes 52 seconds
    Okonomiyaki, 3.0kg, 20 minutes
    one-slurp-soba, 200 servings, under five minutes
    Soft Serve Ice Cream, 0.7kg, 22 seconds
    Soft Serve Ice Cream, 3.5kg, 5 minutes 22 seconds

Sites Cited:
    Food Fighter Association (Japanese)
    http://www.ffa-japan.com/

Google Search Terms Used:
    "Food Fighter"

---

Clarification of Answer by hailstorm-ga on 13 Feb 2003 16:53 PST

Sorry, for "Keiji Oguni", large sushi roll (2.7kg) should be 9 minutes
24 seconds, not 9.24 seconds.

This was a really tough question to answer, as it seems the data I was
looking for really isnt out there. Hailstorm did an incredible job
giving me the next best thing. Thank you! I am able to woof down
around 13 McDonalds hamburgers in 10 minutes (despite my "normal"
stature and the fact that I havent trained whatsoever)and the fact
that some of the sushi-eating contestants you listed werent far beyond
that level gives me some hope.

kow...

I found no statistics specific to sashimi, though sushi
might produce different results.

Given that the world eating champion, Takeru Kobayashi,
ate "31 hot dogs and later 10 pounds of brain" during
a recent Fox special (in which those courses were 2 of
the 4 total contests):
http://www.geocities.com/mogurt5/

I would estimate 6 pounds of sashimi to be a good starting place.
Just don't try this around your cat.

The authorities on this are the International Federation of
Competitive Eating - the closest I found at their site is:

4 pounds 9 ounces spot shrimp
12 minutes
Charles Hardy
http://www.ifoce.com/records.htm

kow...

Since you noted that sushi-eating records would be of interest
to you, I tracked down the following notations:

From an article by Robert Trout, in DPM Magazine online
about Keri Kelli, a local Hollywood rock star:

"To show the public that he is deadly serious about this new
 career change, Kelli recently visited the Huntington Beach
 location of Sushi for Sail and proceeded to break the
 world's record for sushi-eating by devouring an incredible
 1,256 pieces of assorted sushi in a single sitting. Kelli
 feasted on a variety of yellowtail, tuna, and shrimp with
 several dozen handrolls thrown in for good measure."
http://www.dadspornomag.com/articles/articles_kerisushi.html

Since yellowtail, tuna and shrimp are mentioned, one wonders
if the writer, like many people, uses the word sushi to include
sashimi, which is a lesser-known word.


From an article by CHIE MATSUMOTO, Asahi Shimbun News Service:

"The competition is fierce. The senior law student polished off
 34 plates of sushi in a preliminary session involving 52
 participants for the popular ``TV Champion'' program on TV
 Tokyo last summer. He was left biting the dust of two
 competitors who consumed more than 60 plates and proceeded
 to finals against the defending champions."

"...recent TV shows have led to an increase in customers trying
 to break the sushi-eating record, which is 85 plates in one
 hour, held by champion Nobuyuki Shirota."
http://www.asahi.com/english/weekend/K2002020900376.html


Those are the only useful entries returned in 14 hits from a
Google search for:

sashimi OR sushi "eating record"
://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=sashimi+OR+sushi+%22eating+record%22&btnG=Google+Search


If there's more relevant information out there, I haven't
found it. If this will serve as a satisfactory answer, let
me know, and I'll post it formally.

sublime1-ga
Google Answers Researcher

Sumblime, 

Thanks yet again for the help. Unfortunately, while the additional
info you provided is on the right track, it still doesnt exactly
answer my question because I need to know an exact amount (in weight,
not pieces because they vary in size) of sashimi eaten in an exact
amount of time (unlimited, as I assume was the case in that first
example you gave, isnt the same thing).

From the way it is looking, perhaps no answer is really out there.
Maybe sashimi isnt often used in eating contests... I thought it was.
In any case, if I am going to leave this question up a while longer
and if no one is able to answer it perhaps I will reduce the amount I
bidded and ask you to officially answer so I can at least compensate
you partially for your efforts. In the meantime, if anyone can fully
answer my question, Id love to hear the data!

kow...

Acknowledged - thanks. The searches I did returned very few 
results, most of which weren't relevant, and the rest I showed
you. I suspect, as I said, that sashimi is included in with 
sushi, and that's not as common as you thought. For example,
if you do a site search at the International Federation of
Competitive Eating, mentioned by robertskelton-ga, there are
no results for sashimi, and only one for sushi, on two pages,
noting one of the provider members of the Federation:

"TV Tokyo
 Japanese Regional Contests
 Sushi
 Season: April through June"

Google search:

sushi site:www.ifoce.com
://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=sushi+site%3Awww.ifoce.com&btnG=Google+Search