10. TSUKIJI FISH MARKET

Want to know where the biggest fish/seafood market is in the world? Well, if you guessed Japan, don’t feel clever because obviously it’d be in Japan if I was blogging about it. Tsukiji Fish Market is the world’s biggest wholesale fish market, found in central Tokyo between Ginza and the Sumida River. Attracting tourists from all around the world, the outer market hosts a variety of restaurants and countless numbers of merchants selling fresh seafood commodities.

I had the chance to go there, luckily! With my friends, we readied ourselves for a day of eating, eating and more eating. Honestly, the seafood is so fresh here that you’d be foolish not to drop a few thousand yen on the vendors and restaurants at Tsukiji.MMMM

Immediately upon arriving, it’s easy to notice the international atmosphere of the place. Tourists from all around the world can be seen weaving in and out of the crowds, consulting with nearby sellers who speak in their charming, albeit broken English to persuade them to buy their wares. It feels a bit odd. Having lived here for several months now, I feel more like a local and more alienated from people who are obviously tourists. Then again, I looked like a tourist with my camera around my neck, snapping photos as I walked through the hordes of human traffic. All of us were herding into narrow alleyways where the countless stalls of fish awaited us.

Definitely have cash on you as most of the vendors will only take bills and coins. Besides, you can grab small snacks like buttered shellfish or even deep-fried whale (to the left) for a few hundred yen. In the picture to the left, you can see that there is a sign for ice-cream, as well. It’s whale ice-cream. 500 yen. Go ahead and try it if you find yourself here. Why not, right?

My friends and I decided on kaisen-don (seafood rice bowl) for our actual lunch. On the right, you can see it. It comes with fresh miso soup with seaweed which you can see, also! The sea urchin (orange heap in the middle) was extremely delicious, in particular. Man, all the ingredients just felt so… refreshing. If you come to Tsukiji, I seriously recommend having one of these if not, some special Tsukiji-exclusive sushi (if you google this, results will come up).

All in all, Tsukiji was an amazing culinary experience. Not only was the food great, but the atmosphere was alive and exciting, filled with an international yet strong local presence. You can tell that the people who work here have a passion for their trade and while Tsukiji may be an interesting crossroad of culture, the pride and unique flavour of Japan remains prominent and strong.

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