The Tsukiji fish market is the place to go for prime seafood. According to Lonely Planet, nearly 2,500 tons of fish worth more than $15.5 million are sold at the market on a daily basis.
In one of the biggest longstanding holiday rituals in Japan, huge tunas were auctioned off to bidders looking to get the first fish of the year.
This year, a 440-pound bluefin tuna sold for a staggering $117,000. The winner was Kiyoshi Kimura of Kiyomura Corp, which operates a chain of sushi restaurants.
According to Reuters, Kimura bid $39,000 more for the tuna this year than last year, when his bid was also successful.
Wholesalers would often closely examine the quality of the tuna before it went up for auction. Bluefin is considered to be the most expensive fish available and was usually a favorite.
Both the inside and outside market bustle with excitement (though the inside portion is often more crowded) until 1 p.m., when the market prepares to clean and close. This indoor portion will be moving to another location in Tokyo later this year.
In the outdoor part of the market, visitors will find everything from fresh crab legs to grilled fish selections.
The nearby alleys of the outdoor market also have numerous stalls that sell pottery, cooking equipment, cutlery, and packaged foods.
The Tsukiji market also has incredibly fresh Japanese sushi and is often where many top restaurants will import their fish from. Here, the chefs of the sushi restaurant chain Sushi Zanmai (owned by Zanmai) can be seen holding a freshly cut piece of a bluefin tuna at their main restaurant at the outer Tsukiji market.
There have been concerns regarding the possible extinction of the bluefin tuna, and the interior market will be relocating to a modern facility in Toyosu to make way for redevelopment in Tokyo.
The outdoor market, which has hundreds of food stalls and restaurants, will remain in its current location.
