If you’ve read any travel book or searched online on things to do in Tokyo, the Tsukiji tuna fish auction is one of the few things that everyone can agree is a must see. Before the crack of dawn, hundreds of tuna buyers converge in a non-descript warehouse and participate in a unique tradition complete with hand gestures, cowbells, and a song like chant.
The release of the film Jiro Loves Sushi only helped further increase popularity of witnessing this live choreography. With only 120 spots made available for tourists each day the auction is held, arriving hours earlier is a must.
My friend and I woke up bright and early at 2:30 AM. Since public transport wasn’t open until 5:00 am, we grabbed an Uber ($30) and arrived at the Tuna Auction around 3:30 AM. It turns out we made it in the nick of time and we were given jackets for the second tour group.
No sooner than 20 minutes later, all the jackets had been handed out, and the unfortunate tourists who came afterwards were turned away. After going through an adrenaline rush to get there, it was time for us to sit down and wait for the auction to begin 2 hours later. The room is as old school as it gets with no chairs and just a few cones marking where we were allowed to sit. Eventually everyone succumbed to their tired legs and sat on the floor.
Being crowded in a small room with 100 other travelers was helped somewhat by the jovial mood of everyone who managed to make it on time. It honestly felt like one of those summer camps from back home, except hearing different languages from around the world. Most of the tourists were American or Chinese, with an also healthy sprinkling of Europeans.
At 5:05 AM, the first group of 60 tourists was called up and we were moved next to the door. By now the tired expressions of our group were replaced by one filled with adrenaline. Finally at around 5:30 AM, the doors were open and we marched outside in a single line to the Tuna auction warehouse.
Tip: If you want to be in the front row to get a clear view of the auction, make sure position yourself next to the exit door.
On the way there, you’re guided through a beehive of activity as the market is in full swing, with forklifts flying through in a coordinated movement, only to screech to a halt when an unsuspecting tourist gets in the way.
When you walk in, you’re directed behind roped off corridor. For the first 10 minutes or so, we watched as potential buyers sampled the fat content of each fish by taking a small chunk from its tail using a specialized hook.
Each fish buyer has his own technique to tell how good quality the tuna is and mentally calculates their highest bid.
The cowbells soon began ringing and multiple auctioneers climbed their platform and began chanting in a song like fashion.
The process is a bit complicated, with buyers using a system of hand signals to make their bids.
Within seconds, bluefish Tuna changes hands for as much as $10,000 each. As soon as the tuna is sold, it is marked with red paint and a yellow piece of paper is placed on top indicating the price paid.
The doors are then opened and tuna are loaded into waiting forklifts & trucks.
The entire auction happens at a blistering pace and before we knew it the auction was over and it was time for us to leave.
As the sun rose over Tokyo, we headed to the outer market for some of the world’s freshest sushi. The lines for the famed Sushi Dai was rumored to be at least over two hours long, so we decided to wait in shorter but still quite lengthy line for Sushi Daiwa. Our long wait was rewarded with the best sushi I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.
ESSENTIAL INFO:
To visit the auction, you’ll need to head to the Fish Information Center which is located on the southeast corner of the market.
If you’re taking an Uber, I’ve marked the location below:
https://goo.gl/maps/VLyZhWvD3Jw
Tsukiji market is only open on certain days of the week, so make sure to check the calendars below before you go:
http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/etc/calendar/2016.html
Transportation Options:
There is no public transport in the early morning, so you’ll either need to walk or take an Uber.
When to Arrive:
It is highly advised to get here by 3:30 AM at the very latest as tourists are scrambling to visit the market before it moves to its new location across the river.
Cost:
Entrance is Free.
