Here’s a gift idea that is sure to make this Valentine’s Data a really unforgettable one for you and that special some one in your life.

Chocolate sushi!

Unlike Twinkie sushi, which is merely a reasonable facsimile of a sushi roll, Suedy’s Koo-ki Sushi is so realistic, it’s hard to tell the difference from the real thing. Each piece is carefully sculptured out of chocolate to look exactly like a slab of tuna, octopus, or egg resting on a lump of rice.

And the realism does not stop there.

Suedy’s Koo-ki Sushi is available in a choice of different reusable boxes that are exact replicas of the type of containers that real sushi comes in. You can choose from among the Golden Oke, Kotobuki Box, or Suedy’s Obento.

Koo-ki Sushi got its start back in 1994 when Karen “Suedy” Sasaki started wondering about you can do with confections that has never been done before. Then one day she hit upon the idea of sculpting pieces of sushi from chocolate. After that, Karen and her sister, Janice Murai (neither of whom had any experience in the food business) developed new processes and designed the products that became Koo-ki Sushi.

JP

Japanese people love Hello Kitty.

Japanese people love sushi.

Hello Kitty + sushi = Hello Kitty sushi!

Sanrio, the creators of the lovable little feline are marketing a Hello Kitty sushi kit that contains molds that you can stuff with rice and create little kitty heads.

Just add your own little eyes and other accouterments and soon you have a nice little crowd of Kitties looking up at you from your plate.

Meow. . .

JP

Does your aversion to raw fish and seaweed keep you from eating sushi?

Well, now you can eat all of this trendy cuisine you want without fear of doing a George H. Bush on your dinner partners in the middle of the second course!

Introducing Hostess Twinkies Sushi!

This tantilizing combination of Hostess Twinkies, assorted dried fruits, assorted fruity candies, green fruit roll ups, and dried mangoes is guaranteed to have everyone around you convinced that you are a sophisticated gourmand savoring truely exotic Japanese fare. While in fact you will be chowing down on good old 100% All-American USDA Grade A junk food, good for about 300 calories per piece.

JP

Tokyo’s The Daily Yomiuri is reporting that Lawson Inc, which manages a large chain of convenience stores throughout Japan, will be selling a new marukaburi sushi roll that will bring you luck if you eat it a certain way on a certain day.

According to a custom that originated in the Osaka area, best results can be achieved this year by eating a lucky marukaburi sushi uncut, facing west-south-west (the lucky direction for 2005), without stopping, on February 4.

There was no mention of what would befall the adventurous sushi muncher who dares to down a marukaburi facing the wrong direction, or (heaven forbid) on the wrong day…

Lawson will be selling marukaburi by special order only, with orders accepted only through February 1.