Buying fish in Tokyo

One of the most fascinating places in the metropolis of Tokio is undoubtedly the fish market of Tsukiji. You have to get up at un ungodly hour but the experience more than makes up for it. And most of all: don’t wait too long because the market will be relocating this autumn,

a move that has been hotly debated for years. Tsukiji is located in the heart of Tokio in a neighbourhood with many restaurants and not so far from the Ginza shopping district. The fish market is one of the capital’s traditional features: every day since 1935 tuna and other see animals have been auctioned here. Moreover, all foreign travel guides list Tsukiji as a must-see. Every day tens of thousands of tourists flock to the fish market, which realises an average daily turnover in excess of 1.5 billion yen.

According to the latest information, the relocation from Tsukiji to the old gas works site of Toyosu several kilometres away is scheduled to (finally) take place in the autumn. Still, after the 2020 Olympics - the reason for the move - the fish market will reclaim its original location. Stay tuned... 

Feast your eyes

Walking around the halls of Tsukiji really is a remarkable experience. By the way, watch out for the forklift trucks that drive to and fro here: their drivers don’t care too much for strolling tourists. But anyway, back to the actual experience. Looking at the tons of marine products you get the impression that entire seas have been depleted. All varieties of squid, species of shrimp, puffer fish and other seafood are neatly displayed according to species and size. After all, this is Japan. There are so many obscure varieties of fish that you can’t help but wonder who’s going to eat all of it. The Japanese, that’s who.

It’s also fascinating to watch the merchants at work as they filet the fish with knives that look like samurai swords. Wafer-thin slices or nice filets: just ask and seconds later your order is placed in front of you. As a gaijin (foreigner or literally ‘outside person’) what wows you the most is how craftsmanship and refinement are made into an art form.

Tuna auction

One of the reasons why Tsukiji is so interesting is the early morning tuna auction. You have to get up at an ungodly hour - the auctions are at 5.30 and 6 am - and tickets are available while stocks last. Thousands of huge frozen tuna fish are displayed on the floor of the central hall with tendrils of mist floating above their lifeless heads. In anticipation of the actual auction, prospective buyers subject the merchandise to a thorough inspection.

Then the bell sounds and all hell breaks loose: the auctioneer bellows and the buyers shout back, busily gesticulating with their fingers. The fish are sold at a frenetic pace and of course... you can’t understand a word. Still, inside fifteen minutes every last tuna is auctioned off, the buyers disperse and preparations get underway for the second auction. A level-headed spectator might wonder: is that it? Well yes, but keep in mind you’ve witnessed a typically Japanese spectacle. And the prices are not to be sneezed at: tens of thousands of euros for a single tuna is not an exception!

You can sample the result in one of the many restaurants in the neighbourhood. Sushi for breakfast, it makes for a nice change...

Interested? Contact your UNIGLOBE agency
 

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