Fish Market

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Hi everyone - well you know I said we had to get up early to get to the Tuna auction - well spoke to the concierge in the hotel last night to find out what time the first metro started and they said we needed to leave real early - guess what time we had to leave? I bet not one of you guessed this 3.20am, yes I did say am!!

Anyway we needed to get a taxi as the metro does not start until 5am - Anyone who knows Japan knows that getting a taxi is like daylight robbery. Mind you saying daylight robbery in the middle of the night seems stupid but hey take my word it is day light robbery. One point for all you readers out there (that is if there is anyone out there when in Japan DO NOT USE TAXI's). So I have digressed again - we were not even first in the queue - can you beleive it. By 4.30 there were over 60 people in the queue so that was the first sitting taken already. The people in the queue before us told us that this was their third attempt at trying to get to see the auction as people get there sooooooo early.

Anyway after listening to a taped recording about what not to do when we get into the auction for about the 16th time I thought they are trying to brain wash me ( they do not know that is quite difficult as sometimes I don't think I have a brain, ha ha).

We had to follow the guards to get to the auction in strict single file - I thought we would have to march, in a minute.

Inside what a site - it is amazing it is like a aeroplane hanger with the floor covered in frozen tuna and there are traders everywhere digging at the tails of these frozen tuna with pick axes. Then the bell rings and all hell lets loose with the bidding it is an amazing site and to be honest well worth getting up that early for.

Just been for our Japan Rail passes as we are off to Kyoto by bullet train - exiciting eh. Will give you the low down on this in a later blog.

Hope everyone is well.

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Photos

Frozen Tuna
The airplane hanger full of frozen tuna - probably worth ££££££££££££££

Tuna Auction
The bidding war begins!!!!