Nikiri is a short form of nikiri shoyu in which an alcohol-evaporated mirin, sake, soy sauce and dashi broth are added together. Since raw soy sauce is too strong a taste for sushi, brush sushi lightly with nikiri is tasty enough to eat.
Depending on the sushi chef, some are similar to Tosa shoyu, with bonito flakes and mirin added to the soy sauce, and others add the umami of kelp (Konbu).
There are fewer and fewer sushi restaurants these days that allow customers to perform their own nikiri shoyu. It’s probably because when focusing on the balance of the topping and the shari (vinegared rice or sushi rice), it’s better for the chef to use his expertise to work out the ratio himself.
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