TRIP GUIDE - TSUKIJI FISH MARKET TUNA AUCTION - TOKYO JAPAN

The Tuna Fish Auction was really only 20 minutes, is it worth it? Well, considering Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest fish market in the world and houses some of the largest frozen tuna in the world, yes, it was well worth my sleep deprivation. You experience not only the sightings of the large tunas, but you experience an industry and a culture. Auctioneers sweat and stress over selecting the "perfect" tuna, some pacing back and forth, some staring at the fish for minutes. You experience a sort of dedication and passion from these fisherman, and there was a certain fire of respect that emerged from me - an appreciation for the art of Japanese cuisine. 

TRIP GUIDE TUNA AUCTION | We had done alot research on the Tuna Auction prior to our dedication, and I do recommend and stress (for those who wish to view the Tuna Auction) you must arrive to Tsukiji before 4:30AM. I woke up at 2:30 that day (had about 3 hours of sleep, maybe less) and was out the door by 3:30AM in a cab. There is no subway that early in the morning, you must take the cab. From Shinjuku to Tsukiji is approximately 30 minutes. They only allow 120 tourists into the Tuna Auction, while that sounds like alot, it is really broken down into two groups - 5:25AM viewing and 5:50 viewing, each group consisting of ONLY 60 people at once. Trust me, 120 spots are easy to fill up, there are keen tourists like us everyday. When we arrived around 4:00AM, there was already 15-20 people. It is EXCEPTIONALLY important to be part of the first group as next destination Sushi Dai opens at 5:00AM, and people line up at Sushi Dai at 5:00AM, hence, the earlier you arrive to Sushi Dai, the less time you have to wait there (again haha) and... the earlier you will get to eat.

It is incredibly dangerous in the market, little barrel carts (I made that name up) and whizzing around at high paces, each worker hurrying to beat the clock and grab stock. It's just common courtesy and respect to stay out of their way and let them move first. I like to say, it is out of their good will to allow tourists to tour the market. A few years ago, a few tourists arrived in the market drunk and was horsing around, Tsukiji closed the market from visitors for a few months. 

For reasons as such, Tsukiji market is taken very seriously by the Japanese, and to me, it makes the tour that much more interesting and more respectable.