| During my twelve-day stay in Japan earlier this | | | | squids, live prawns, live Unagi eels, and all other exotic |
| month, A and I visited Tsukiji fish market located in | | | | sorts of living marine creatures that I had never seen |
| central Tokyo. With more than 60,000 working staff, | | | | previously. We also saw huge frozen tuna fish being |
| Tsukiji fish market is the largest fish and seafood | | | | cut and axed into small parts for sale at the market. |
| market in the world, and one of the biggest food | | | | Inside the fish market, we were amazed that we |
| markets of any kinds such as vegetables, fruits, | | | | couldn't sense any offensive smells, which we |
| meat, and flowers. Considering the Japanese diet that | | | | thought very unusual for such a huge fish market like |
| is mostly based on marine products, it's no wonder | | | | Tsukiji market. Later I discovered that this was due |
| why the largest fish market in the world exists in | | | | to the very high standards of cleanliness observed |
| Japan. Like any other markets, Tsukiji is closed on | | | | by the market, and throughout Japan for public |
| Sunday and public holidays. Shops and restaurants in | | | | sanitation, to maintain the safety of the market food |
| Tsukiji typically open in early morning (around 5AM) | | | | products. |
| and close between 12PM and 2PM. The view of wide | | | | It was unfortunate that we had no chance to |
| varieties of fresh fish and other seafood, as well as | | | | witness the spectacular tuna auctions in the early |
| the hectic environment of scooters, turrets, trucks, | | | | morning hours. With Japanese eating one quarter of |
| and forklifts rushing around, create Tsukiji market | | | | the world's total supply of tuna fish each year, giant |
| one of top tourist attractions in Tokyo. As we | | | | tuna sold in Tsukiji market come from all around the |
| arrived there for the first time, the market seems | | | | world as far away as New Zealand and Tahiti. The |
| chaotic at first glance, but everyone knows their | | | | tuna auction begins at 5:30AM. The tuna auctioneer |
| way around and does everything faster, with | | | | initially asks for the bid price in a loud voice, and then |
| surprisingly very little margin for errors. | | | | middlemen and authorized buyers bid against each |
| Tsukiji market is divided into several major sections | | | | other. They sell all tuna out very quickly. At 7AM, all |
| that include wholesale areas, shops and restaurants, | | | | middlemen receive and transport the tuna that they |
| delivery centers, and offices. There are six separate | | | | have bought to their own stalls so that other buyers |
| wholesale areas for different food categories: tuna, | | | | can purchase their tuna easily. The record of the |
| live fish, fresh fish, salted and dried fish, other marine | | | | most expensive tuna in Tsukiji market was an |
| products, and farm products. The size of the market | | | | enormous Bluefin tune auctioned in January 2001 with |
| was so big that we got lost once we got there. | | | | a shocking price of US$184,000. Wow! Additionally, |
| Assuming that nowadays young people generally | | | | problems related to the increasing number of visiting |
| learn English in school, we asked several young | | | | tourists have arisen since the booming popularity of |
| people for directions; but sadly, they couldn't | | | | Tsukiji market. Sadly because of this reason, starting |
| communicate well in English. We almost gave up, and | | | | from April 2008, tourists are allowed to watch the |
| then suddenly an old Japanese gentleman approached | | | | auctions only from the designated visitor area, and |
| us and kindly questioned us in not-so-good English | | | | the use of flash photography is no longer permitted. |
| (but understandable) about what we intended to do | | | | Since A were craving about sushi all the time we |
| in the market. We were delighted that, with the nice | | | | were at Japan, so a week later, we returned to |
| old man's help, we finally knew where to go. Lucky | | | | Tsukiji market to have a lunch. A decided to try |
| us! Next time, we should consider to asked older | | | | chirashi, which basically is sushi toppings served |
| people too for directions. | | | | scattered over a bowl of sushi rice. There are two |
| We heard that restaurants in Tsukiji boast the | | | | restaurants that stand next to each other and have |
| freshest seafood in Tokyo and offer | | | | only chirashi in their menu. I didn't know the |
| not-so-expensive price. Therefore, our first stop was | | | | restaurant names because they're written in |
| Uogashi-Yokocho, which was the shops and | | | | Japanese characters. After looking at their menus, |
| restaurants area in Tsukiji, to find a sushi restaurant | | | | we then picked the one located at the corner of the |
| for breakfast. Although it was 8:30 in the morning, | | | | alley. It's true that, during lunch time, restaurants in |
| restaurants in Tsukiji were still jam-packed. I cannot | | | | Tsukiji market are jammed with more customers |
| imagine how crowded it would be during lunch time. | | | | than during breakfast time. But it wasn't too bad; we |
| Two most famous sushi restaurants in Tsukiji are | | | | waited for approximately 30 minutes before entering |
| Daiwa Sushi and Sushi Dai. Surprised by the incredible | | | | the restaurant. A ordered a bowl of chirashi that has |
| wait in front of Sushi Dai, we diverted to Daiwa Sushi | | | | a generous portion of two kinds of tuna meats: |
| that had no long queue at that time. The restaurant | | | | akami (the leaner meat from the sides of the fish) |
| had tiny space containing a small sushi bar that could | | | | and chutoro (the fatty meat from the belly area of |
| only accommodate ten customers. I don't really like | | | | the fish). And I ordered ebi furai. The crispy deep |
| eating raw food. However, thinking that I was at the | | | | fried very large prawn served with mayonaise was |
| place where you can find the freshest raw sushi, I | | | | the best ebi furai I've ever had. The prawns were |
| dare to order various kind of toro and some other | | | | very fresh and come from a good quality of shrimp. |
| raw fish sushi for my breakfast. Whereas A (who is | | | | The bad thing is they didn't provide rice to eat with. |
| a sushi lover) ordered the omakase set menu | | | | But I had an idea to take some of A's sushi rice. |
| (costing 3,500 yen) that comes with tuna, eel, squid, | | | | Yippie...! Again, A could not agree more that no |
| shrimp, sea urchin, six tuna rolls, and tamago. After | | | | restaurants outside the market could beat the flavor |
| breakfast, A acknowledged that it was truly the best | | | | of the exceptionally fresh tuna served in Tsukiji |
| sushi ever in his life. He said that he would have a | | | | market's restaurants. O yeah... I almost forget to tell |
| difficult time enjoying sushi outside of Japan after | | | | you that we supposed not allowed to take any |
| tasting the amazingly fresh and delicious sushi around | | | | picture inside the restaurant, but A was success to |
| Tsukiji market. There is simply no comparison. | | | | sneak in to get some few shots for the dishes we |
| After breakfast, we wandered around the marine | | | | had. |
| products section, where inside the giant warehouse | | | | Last thing what I would like to say, a vacation in |
| we found aisle after aisle of seafood vendors packed | | | | Tokyo is not complete without a unique and |
| closely together, leaving only narrow lanes for | | | | memorable experience of visiting the Tsukiji fish |
| pedestrians and transport trolleys. We saw palm-sized | | | | market. Definitely a place to see in Japan! |
| clams, shellfish, big crab claws, colorful octopus, | | | | |