Some photos may lead you to believe it was early and nobody wanted to be there.
We have been to fish markets all over the world. Kathleen and Nicky have asked more than 100 times, "Why do we always have to go to the fish markets?" The complete answer that sums it all up as a parent is "because we said so". However, even the early 4:15a.m. wake-up call didn't seem terrible when they saw the Taj Mahal of fish markets today in Tokyo! We got there about 5:15 a.m.!!!!!
In 1992, Charles and I went at a crazy early hour in the morning and walked through the Tokyo fish market. It was Feburary and freezing cold. We did not stay nearly as long as we could have then due to the cold.
Today, knowing the size of this place is like taking two Super Wal-Marts and putting them side by side and filling them with every known sea creature and putting them all up for sale, some on auction, the kids would love it! Right??? Right!! For once, they loved it! This place is SO big you have to see it to believe it. Just when you think you are at the end of it all, you are not.
The TUNA auction is like watching people on the floor on Wall Street take bids. All in Japanese and all hollering numbers (they sounded like numbers). Inspectors! These tuna are inspected top to bottom, inside and out! There are inspectors with picks, measuring tapes, flashlights, whistles and clipboards! They will sell no tuna before its time!! An amazing sight for sure. The only way to become a good inspector is to inspect a lot of fish. That is what they told us. Made sense to us! People/businesses spend thousands of dollars for one tuna!!
The market is such a "happening" all the photos were worth a look. However, if we put all the photos we took on this blog, you'd be looking at fish until next Spring! Enjoy our family tour of the market with us. The eels, shrimp, octopus, squid, yellow fin tuna (notice the really yellow fins on one tuna, who knew?), the tiger shrimp really look tiger-like, clams, scallops,.....all there, all being sold left and right! Phones, land lines were ringing all over the place. You have to think that restaurants all over the world call there to order their fish!
Everyone here is crazy busy. You have to take care with every step you take as people are riding carts loaded with fish, people were pulling carts loaded with fish and people were running down the aisles like mad men with news breaking fish stories!! People were everywhere going in all directions. None of us came away injured. We just came away with a real education on fish!! Nobody can say that the fishing industry is in a recession in Tokyo!! It is booming!
Yes, for the curious, some of us had tuna, fresh of course for supper!!
Wonderful experience!!! This is the Grand-Daddy of all the fish markets in the world! If you love a good fish story, this is the place for you!
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