A trip to Tsukiji fish market reveals the wonders of the Japanese diet

Text and Photography by Mark Parren Taylor
Translation by Amanda Mao

Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market holds a daily tuna auction that has always netted enormous interest. And, for the usually understated fishmongers of the world’s largest seafood mart, the first auction of the year is a chance to showboat, to start the new calendar with a bang – and, above all, to hit the headlines.

The first auction of 2009 didn’t disappoint. Despite the choppy waters of an international financial meltdown, a bluefin tuna sold for just a few beans short of JPY10 million. That’s over US$100,000 – for a fish! Admittedly it wasn’t a sprat but a 128kg tuna. Nonetheless it’s still a lot of bread for a fish…

Take a walk around Tsukiji – or rather, duck and dive speeding stevedores on electric carts and porters hauling trays of catch over their heads – and it soon becomes obvious that tuna, along with almost all other things plucked from the sea, are respected and adored here. Alas, the same cannot be said for tourists, who have been getting under fishmongers’ feet so much that access to the auctions is limited. However, onlookers can still wander the alleys and aisles of this extraordinary theatre.

Tetsuya Kobayashi – a lifelong Tokyoite who, like many of his neighbours, rarely thinks to visit Tsukiji – explains what buyers look for in sushi- or sashimi-grade tuna. “Feel and fattiness!” he smiles. “Basically they use a corer to extract a small plug of meat from the tail end. These men know the fish so well they can sense the quality of the meat by simply pressing the small sample between their thumb and forefinger.” The buyer determines the quality of what in English would simply be known as a tuna steak, but what the Japanese have a dozen or more words for depending upon the cut and the grade. Akami, for example, is the ruby meat from along the backbone. It’s lean, has a vaguely bitter taste and is available in three grades, each with its own name. At the other end of the scale, o-toro (the honorific ‘o’ at the start signifies that it is widely revered) is found in the belly. This rare meat has a pale pink colour and needs to be handled gingerly as, due to its tenderness and high fat content, the finest examples can easily fall apart when sliced. When eaten, just the warmth of the tongue can make it dissolve. It is sweet and creamy, and surely the nectar of the sea.

But Kobayashi insists that Tsukiji is about far more than big fish pulling even bigger sums of money. “There’s snow crab and trout, abalone, squid and roe, cockles and razor clams, and eel.” The simplest way to sample all of these treasures is to skip between the whizzing stevedores and loaded lorries dripping salty water, past the fishermen’s shrine, to the Outer Market.

These crowded lanes to the north-east of Tsukiji are home to wet stalls, sushi parlours and hole-in-the-wall eateries serving all manner of the freshest seafood.

If sashimi doesn’t appeal as the first meal of the day, then a good breakfast alternative widely available in the Outer Market is unadon (eel and rice). Freshwater eel is slowly griddled with the occasional, heavy-handed brush of kabayaki, a sticky mix of soy sauce, mirin (a condiment) and sugar. The smoky fish oils mingling with the sweet marinade can easily make hungry diners lose all ability to communicate other than with an occasional, appreciative “Mmmmm!”

For a total change of pace, head around the market to neighbouring Hama Rikyu Onshiteien (‘Detached Palace Garden’). Once a Tokugawa shogun’s sprawling pleasure grounds, part of which is now occupied by the market, this is perhaps Tokyo’s finest park, with expertly manicured patches (think raked gravels and pruned box hedges) that contrast with meadows of wild flowers and meandering paths (equally expertly maintained). Despite nearby skyscrapers peering over the canopy of the garden’s pine and elm trees, it’s easy to forget the city beyond.

From here there are river cruises along the Sumida River, heading all the way up to Asakusa and its busy precincts around historic Senso-ji Temple (with its golden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, supposedly fished from the Sumida almost 1,500 years ago). Alternatively the seafood enthusiast can pop over to Tsukishima district. It’s just a couple of stops on the subway, but seems a million miles away from the hustle of the market or the sweeping open spaces of Hama Rikyu. Ensconced on a riverine island, Tsukishima has a village-like atmosphere and is popular for tsukudani, whitebait simmered in a kabayaki-like broth then allowed to dry. The snack is moreish and chewy, salty and sweet.

Whether you’re a seafood aficionado or simply a curious tourist, the Tsukiji district is an enthralling introduction to Tokyo and its love of the oceans’ riches.

Tsukiji fish market is close to both Tsukiji-shijo subway station (Toei Oedo Line) and Tsukiji subway station (Hibiya Line). Trains run from about 5am, enabling you to reach the market in good time.

The market is closed on Sundays, on some Wednesdays and on public holidays.

getting in

The market starts receiving deliveries from 5am. The tuna auctions start at 5.30am and last for two to three hours.

At most times entry to the auctions is restricted, although a recent relaxation of the rule allows visitors to enter part of the tuna wholesale area between 5am and 6.15am.

The Inner Market is busiest from 3am to 10am, while the Outer Market’s eateries and shops start opening at 5am, with most closing at about 2pm.

DO… wear solid shoes and be aware of moving traffic and equipment.

DON’T… use flash photography at the auction.