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Tsukiji fish market Tokyo Japan

I’m on a culinary adventure to Tokyo and Kyoto to find out the secrets of Japanese cuisine and why the Japanese are so healthy.

The first thing that comes to mind when you mention Tokyo & food is the Tsukiji Fish market (築地市場, Tsukiji Shijō). It is the largest fish market in the world handling over 2000 tons of marine products per day.

The sight of the many kinds of fresh seafood and the busy atmosphere of scooters, trucks, sellers and buyers makes Tsukiji Market a major tourist attraction. In fact, the numbers of visitors have increased so much over recent years, that they have become a problem to the course of business, as the aging market’s infrastructure was not anticipated to serve as a tourist spot.

The outer market is full of amazing seafood stalls, knives, souvenirs & many other exciting things.It is encouraged for tourists to visit the outer market rather than the inner fish market due to the high volume of motorised vehicles & equipment.

Sushi restaurants line the narrow streets where tourists from all over the world queue from 3am for a breakfast made from the morning’s fresh Tuna
Sushi plates in the outher market restaurants using the freshest tuna on earth
Breakfast can also be these Sushi egg omelettes
This one is rolled with a brush of fish sauce between the layers

The egg omelettes being made in the square pans above are sometimes sweet using soy sauce & sugar, other varieties are made with sake, konbu (kelp), dash, soy sauce and mirin.They are delicious and from the sight of the stalls at the outer market, very popular!

Whilst the outer market and the sushi restaurants are wonderful to visit the Tsukiji Fish Market is all about the Tuna!

Visiting the auctions:

If you really want the full Tsukiji experience and don’t mind getting up way before dawn to get it, you can visit the tuna auctions, which take place between 3.30am and 6am every day (except Sunday and some Wednesdays) and they’re free

For all the details on entry to the tuna auctions you are best to visit their website http://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/english/tsukiji/index.html#VisitorsRules

Skilled fish mongers fillet this giant of the sea into ready to eat delicacies
Any cut of tuna your after it’s available here
Sushi to go, cheaper but still delicious

There are some other fascinating stalls that don’t include fish throughout the narrow streets of the outer market which are definitely worth a visit. Hand painted crockery, kitchen equipment, knives & the best assortment of fish cleaning & boning equipment I’ve seen.

Beautifully hand painted crockery bowls, plates & cups are available from stalls at the outer market
Hand crated Japanese knives
Fish scalers
Pin boners

Edible breakfast treats lined the outer market streets from fresh oysters and sea urchins to grilled seafood mixes and deep fried squid on skewers, really anything you could imagine in the world of fish and seafood.

Huge beautiful fresh oysters
Sea urchins
Grilled seafood mix
Delicious fried squid & octopus

Tsujiki fish market is a must see when visiting Tokyo. The inner and outer markets offer a wide range of edible treats and interesting market stalls but if the Tuna action is what you’ve come to see then you won’t be disappointed.

A wonderful experience which assures me that fish is one of the reasons the Japanese are so healthy they certainly sell enough of it here at the Tsujiki fish market

Marlene X

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