Tsukiji Market

Emmerson excited? about the wonders of Tokyo public train transport system. It runs amazingly well and once figured out makes getting in and around and out and about Tokyo pleasantly doable.

At the entrance to Tsukiji. It has become a relatively popular stop on the tourist thing to do list. But it requires an early morning start which might be holding the number down. I was at first a bit disappointed when we got their as is was hard to find out where things were going on and much of it seemed over. We also were denied access to what appeared the major part of the market until 9 am. The area we were wandering around in at first was where items are brought in or more likely trucked out to various parts of Tokyo - most likely other markets. Finally, at 9, we ventured into the huge wholesale market and all the hype about this place became glaringly apparent. It was amazing.

Cool drive around carts - very nimble and capable of navigating the tight well traveled alleys of the market.

Cool truck whose side pops up to allow for efficient loading.

Ada with frozen tuna cuts. They flash freeze them when caught at sea so they arrive fresh and ready for cutting in Tsukiji.

Octopus artfully displayed.

Tuna craftsman working on a tuna head. Heads are actually a very popular part of several dishes in Asia. Fishead curry is widely popular in Singapore and is fabulous. One of the best things I have eaten was a grilled tuna head back when I used to live in Japan. One of my adult students' husband was a sushi chef and would go out and fish for his own fish every once and a while. On the day when I ate at her house for an outing with our class, she served sashimi and the head of a tuna that her husband had got that morning.  Interesting that my breakfast this morning was fish head - actually fish body - bought a bunch of small fried and smoked fish at the market that are eaten whole. Along with an ear of grilled corn - brekkie o' champions!

Tuna cuts under glass. Several thousand dollars of tuna.

Loving Tsukiji!

The tuna workshop. Reminded me of a carpenters shop. Lots of scary looking machinery meant for cutting and impeccably clean.

6 foot long tuna knife.

Emmerson giving some perspective to the knife.