Hi Mike... I will try to start what i believe is essential for sushi and move from there... you can substitute hardware and use only what your first recipes need and build from there depending on your interests...
Hardware
Makisudare (Sudare Roller) - Bamboo strips tied together into a mat.
Cutting board - You can use a medium or large clean board you may own and later get a special one (Hi-soft, K-type or asahi are very good)
Hangiri (Rice Bucket)- large mixing bowl for warm rice.
Shamoji (Rice paddle) - Plastic or wooden spoon
Yanagiba knife - slicer or sujihiki - Very important! :laugh:
Clean cleaning rag to clean surfaces.
Fish Bone Twezer - Depending if you are preparing your own fish or buying prepared.
A rice pot - Standard one you would use on regular rice (No need to buy a special one)
Rice cooker - Later on a good addition once you get the rice down pat manually (I like Zojirushi)
Later on you can incorporate molds, egg pans, etc. if you like.
Software (depending on what you are making) (Do some research cross contamination, bacteria on raw fish... sushi grade fish, pro's and cons, etc. A lot of people can give you advise, here is a thread I found very useful).
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...n-Raw-fish-for-sushi&highlight=sushi+raw+fish
Sushi Rice - Short Grain rice.
Nori - Thin sheets of seaweed
Rice vinegar - Sold at asian supermarkets.
Kombu - Thicker sheets of seweed to give rice flavor
Sugar
Salt
Akebono sushi pickled ginger
Fish - Take your pick - Albacore, amberjack, Fresh water eel, halibut, mackerel, octopus, salmon, scallop, sea urchin, shrimp, squid, tuna, toro, yellowtail, etc. etc.
Roe
Wasabi - Japanese Horse Radish.
Hope I didn't forget something (I probably did).... There are a lot of web courses, books and resources you can use to learn..
I personally believe (As most) that the best way to learn is to incorporate to a working sushi restaurant but there are other alternatives. this is a site I found that offers online courses (I have not tried it and cannot recommend it), maybe someone else can weigh in...
http://www.sushitrainer.com/index.php
Hoper this helped, good luck and let us know how it goes! :cool2: