Developed alongside sushi culture in Edo period; the bamboo mat's origins possibly connected to tofu-pressing tradition; the inside-out uramaki is a Japanese-American invention attributed to Ichiro Mashita, 1960s Los Angeles
The makisu is a woven bamboo mat (approximately 25×25cm) used primarily for rolling maki-zushi and tamagoyaki, but also for pressing moisture from boiled leafy greens (ohitashi) and shaping cylindrical tofu preparations. For futomaki (thick rolls) and hosomaki (thin rolls), nori is placed shiny-side-down on the mat, rice spread to the near edge leaving a 2cm border at the far end, filling placed 1/3 from the near edge, and the mat is used to roll by lifting the near edge over the filling and pressing to establish the first curve before completing the roll. The final quarter-turn press shapes and firms the cylinder. Uramaki (inside-out rolls) reverse the rice-outside-nori-inside geometry, requiring rice applied directly to the mat (covered with plastic wrap to prevent sticking) with nori on top. A firmer makisu (tighter weave) produces firmer rolls; a looser weave allows more moisture to escape during reshaping boiled greens.
The rolling pressure affects final texture — light rolling creates an airy roll with distinct rice grains; tight rolling creates dense compact cross-section; neither is superior, each suits different eating contexts
Nori shiny-side-down for adhesion and visual presentation; 2cm bare border at far edge activates nori's natural glue when pressed; first press over filling establishes internal density; final cylindrical press firms and shapes; rice should not be packed tightly — gentle pressure.
Dampen hands to prevent rice sticking; the 2cm nori border is critical — seals the roll with naturally moist nori adhesive; cut with yanagiba in single push strokes wetting blade between cuts; tamagoyaki rolling: use mat to press and set the egg cylinder into perfect square cross-section; wrap used mat immediately to air-dry — prevents bamboo blackening from moisture.
Overfilling (impossible to close roll cleanly); rice too wet (rolls apart within minutes — nori dissolves); rice too cold and hard (grains separate under pressure); placing mat too close to edge of work surface (no room to roll forward); cutting roll immediately without resting 2 minutes (nori tears).
Tsuji, Shizuo — Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art; Shimbo, Hiroko — The Japanese Kitchen