Tokyo Fish Market in Tsukiji (築地市場)

---

Tsukiji Fish Market was the highlight of our Japan trip in Oct of 2008. Our friend ZheYu (喆瑜) who lives in Tokyo was our excellent tour guide. We went to the market by subway around 8am. There weren't many visitors by that time. We were able to walk around freely. Even though they are boxes of fish and sea food everywhere, it really doesn't smell too fishy inside. ZheYu was able to tell us many names for the seafood she loves to eat. We can recognize some Chinese characters on the signs, but unable to tell what types of seafood they were.

We saw many kinds of sea food we have never seen. They come in all different sizes and colors. It was truly a feast for the eye. We brought 'Flat Stanley' made by Jerry Chen along with us. It was certainly an eye opening experience for him.

The Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest market in the world. Handling over 2,880 tons of fish every day, worth 2,800,000,000 Yen = $28,000,000 USD ! You can come as early as 2am to experience tuna auction and other serious business. We weren't able to get up that early this trip. We were blown away by the experience. It was totally worth the effort to get there early. We hope to visit the market again in the future and join the Maguro (tuna fish) auction.

The markets was very orderly. People were busy dashing to transport boxes of seafood in and out of the market. All the workers there were man. They all wrapped a white bandana around their head and looking really serious all the time.

Facts and references for the fish market:
* Location: The Tsukiji fish market is located near the Tsukiji Shijou Station on the Oedo subway line and Tsukiji Station on the Hibiya subway line.
* Official website
* Japanese: 築地市場, Tsukiji shijō
* There is a guided tour ($75) 4am-6pm lead by Mr. Naoto Nakamura. Unfortunately the day we visited, there was no tour by him. We enjoyed the visit with Zheyu greatly. Here's the guided tour info . He also offers suggestions for self-guided tours: Dos and Don'ts.
* Another excellent blog about Tuna auction: by IKU ZE - Kimberly Dupak
* New York Times article

More photos can be found here : http://terra-bonita.com/gallery/tokyo_day1/

---

Photos

Stack of boxes with seafood
As you walk throught the fish market, you would see mountains of boxes containing seafood being transported by all kinds of small carts and big trucks.

Getting crushed ice for packaging
The worked smoked as he holds the wheel barrel for crushed ice. The machine seems to be coin operated. I don't know the price for the ice.

Busy working in the market
Everyone was super focused and busy with transporting the fish.

Tuna split in half
The flesh is red like beef steak.