This is a great tool for sushi-challenged people like me. When I tried rolling sushi by hand, it turned out mangled, and all the stuffing came out. This device, however, is very easy to use and gives you nice sushi at a fraction of the cost of restaurant sushi.Note: I did not make round sushi. I made oshizushi, which means "pressed sushi box," and is one of the oldest forms of sushi. It originated more than 400 years ago in the Kansai region of Osaka, originally created to make sushi easier to transport and less perishable than other types.Another reviewer said, "I have googled and looked up YouTube videos trying to find a similar product with directions and have had no luck. The wood also smells chemically." Not to be contrarian, but I found directions on how to use this in about 2 seconds. According to the Hiba Wood Sushi Press website, the wood smells because "This sushi press is designed to make beautiful oshizushi (pressed sushi). It's made of Japanese Hiba wood that has a natural soothing aroma. This particular wood is of high quality and contains natural anti-bacterial properties. This mold comes with cutting guides which help to make nicely-shaped, evenly-cut pieces every time. "The directions I found say to soak the mold in water with white vinegar for about 2 hours to prepare it for first use. After that, rinse it. You can see in the 2nd picture that the mold is soaking in a bowl of water with vinegar.Also, in those same directions, line the mold with plastic wrap to prevent the rice from sticking and make unmolding easier. When I made sushi, I put a layer of sushi rice, thinly sliced cucumber, avocado, Nori, cream cheese, smoked trout, and rice, then pressed down, and released it. Then I put it on a plate, cut it into portions, and garnished it with black sesame seeds. It was delicious!The possibilities are endless with this great tool. I will be using it often! If you like sushi and are tired of the filling falling out, get one of these!