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Published: January 3rd 2009
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Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan
My last day in Tokyo had a very early start! I got up at 0340 so I could make it to Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market by 0500. Why so early? Because at 0500 the place is hopping with the fisherman selling their fresh catches and large meguro (Japanese for tuna) are on auction! Here's what Fodor's Exploring Japan had to say about Tsukiji Fish Market:
Tuna Fish Auction The market specializes in maguro (tuna fish), sometimes brought to the market straight from the fishing boats that tie up at the dock behind it. though most are flown in from all over Japan and from London, Boston, and Africa. The maguro, some of them weighing more than 300 kg (650 pounds), are auctioned ever morning, then pushed on carts to the buyer's stalls. There they are put on marble slabs and sliced with an electric saw; the sections are then cut into smaller pieces with a long and very sharp knife. One at this stage does the buyer know if the fish has the desired high fat content and, thus, whether he has paid a good or bad price.
Late at night, trucks from
village co-operatives all over Japan start to arrive with their loads of fresh fish. They reach the market and line up to unloaded between midnight and 4am. Trucks carrying water tanks full of live fish go to the south end of the market, where their catch is placed in aerated holding tanks to await the auction. At around 4am, the trucks leave the auctioneers, and wholesale buyers arrive to look at the produce. The buyers examine the tuna for fat content and take a look inside the boxes for other fish to make sure they are fresh. What they buy, and the prices they pay are crucial to profits they make later in the day.
At 5.20am the auction begins. Tuna fish are auctioned on the ground floor and other fish and seafood upstairs. Meanwhile, at the market, buyers' assistants are clearing up, getting boxes of fresh ice ready, sharpening knives, and preparing for the arrival of the stevedores with the morning purchase. Between 6 and 9am, the retailers, restauranteurs and sushi-san arrive to buy fish and to catch up on the day's news. By 9.30am the pace in the market is slower, and it is time to leave.
Potential Buyer
The buyers were designated by the blue signs on their hats. This gentleman is inspecting the tuna meat to see if he will bit for it. Here's my take on Tsukiji Fish Market:
It was totally worth getting up early in the morning to experience the craziness at the market. I jumped in a cab and my driver drove me close to the market but not directly right in front of it. The map I had stunk, so I just decided to follow my nose to where the smell of fish was strongest. Eventually I came across stevedores driving every which way with their loads. I followed them into the heart of the market, making sure to keep my head on a swivel so I wouldn't be run over! Not knowing exactly where the tuna auction was I wandered around the stalls and ran into an American couple who knew the way. It turns out that the one place where tourists were allowed in had the sign ripped off the door so I was lucky to run into these people who knew the way! I followed them to the tuna market and started snapping photos. Since I was early I managed to get some good photos before the majority of people arrived. The tuna were frozen solid and layed out on planks of wood. To
Auctioneer
After ringing a bell for about a minute, the auction began. There were multiple auctions going on at the same time within the warehouse. test the fat content, the buyers would slice a little bit of the tuna's flesh off near the tail end and rub it between their fingers. Then they would flick the flesh onto the floor and move onto the next fish they wanted to test out. As it got closer to the time of auction, the business within the warehouse became more lively. The auctioneers would stand on a little block and start calling out the fish and its price and people would begin bidding. The auctioneers were very lively but the people bidding were rather tame. Once a fish was sold, the buyers name was written on the fish in red paint. Fish were then literally thrown onto the concrete floor and remained there until the buyer came buy with a stevedore to retrieve it. I managed to get a good video of a buy lifting a very large tuna onto a cart. The first time he tried he didn't make it and the second time he did. It looked extremely heavy!
After the auction, I wandered through the fish market and snapped photos of all the different types of things on sale. Local restauranteers were out and
about...and on a mission. I suppose I got in the way taking pictures and was bumped several time. I left the market around 0630. The temperature in the market was rather chilly because there was frozen fish and ice all over the place plus it was early in the morning before the sun came up. By the time I got back to my hotel room, I climbed back into bed for a few hours to recover from all the activities. Although eating fresh sushi in the morning is something tourist do after going to Tsukiji Market, I wasn't much in the mood. Sleep was more appetizing.
Please do not get the impression from my photos that this warehouse was the sole location of the auctions for tuna. There were a ton more warehouses at least! They each held about the same amount of fish at the one I was in....which was probably around 400-500 fish. And don't forget, other types of fish were also being auctioned in other warehouses. I didn't see nearly all the different activities going on in the fish market while I was there.
Please go check out this link for more pictures and videos
of the auction and the fish market: http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u53/kimdupak/Japan/Tokyo%20-%20Tsukiji%20Fish%20Market%20-%2001%20Dec%202008/
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Kunda
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Very ver very good !!!!!!
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