As one of the most popular cuisines, worldwide, Japanese food is beloved for its artful presentation, rich culinary history, satisfying and palate-pleasing combination of taste profiles, and fullness of umami flavors. It is also renowned for the freshness of its ingredients — a significant aspect of the Japanese gastronomic experience, in fact, is its use of fresh and seasonal ingredients which heightens the overall appeal of the cuisine.
A good deal of Japanese cuisine incorporates fresh seafood, the star of its famed sushi and sashimi offerings. And, in Japan, much of this seafood is sourced at the Tsukiji Fish Market, central Tokyo’s largest and most well-known fish market. Located between the Sumida River and the upscale Ginza shopping district, Tsukiji Fish Market attracts hundreds of locals, as well as tourists, every day for its array of seafood shops, wholesale and retail stores, and small sushi restaurants that line its busy streets.
Fresh beginnings — literally
Tsukiji Fish Market has a history that dates to 1935, when it opened in the Tsukiji district of Chūō, central Tokyo. The market started after the Uogashi Fish Market — its predecessor, originally located in Nihombashi — was destroyed in the massive Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Fishermen who would offer their catch to the Shogunate and sell their leftovers at Uogashi moved to Tsukiji after the quake, eventually giving rise to the fish market in the area.
People flocked to what fondly became known as “Tokyo’s Kitchen” not only for deals and discounts, but also for freshness and flavor, at Tsukiji’s Inner and Outer Markets.
The Tsukiji area’s history as a marketplace, however, goes back much further; all the way to the Edo Period, in the early 1600s. The district was fairly populous, inhabited by warriors and feudal lords, and enterprising villagers set up shop (selling everything from dry ingredients and spices, to firewood and coal) to cater to the needs of the shogun and lords.
As it grew over decades, Tsukiji Fish Market became the go-to for wholesale and retail deals on fresh seafood and other ingredients, as well as for items like kitchen tools, supplies for the food industry, and groceries. It also quickly became a favorite with foodies, for the freshest seafood meals at its sushi shops. People flocked to what fondly became known as “Tokyo’s Kitchen” not only for deals and discounts, but also for freshness and flavor, at Tsukiji’s Inner and Outer Markets.
The realms of Tokyo’s Kitchen
The Inner Jo-nai Market, known for its super fresh wholesale seafood, was especially acclaimed for its early-morning tuna auctions which bidders and beholder, alike, would rise at the crack of dawn to witness. The auctions, however, moved to a new venue when the entire Inner Market was relocated to Toyosu in the Bay of Tokyo (where it is now known as the Toyosu Market) in October 2018. In 2019, the auction hit a whopping, record-breaking 333.6 million yen ($3.1 million) for a 278-kg (613-lb) bluefin tuna purchased by the owner of a Japanese sushi chain. To date, the auction at Toyosu remains strong, but has inadvertently also been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Outer Jo-Gai Market at Tsukiji remains intact and robust as ever, with approximately 400 shops and vendors selling their ware all along the streets. The market’s roster of wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants continues to draw throngs of shoppers, especially in the early mornings. The new wholesale area, Tsukiji Uogashi, is open daily to professional wholesale buyers, but is closed to the general public until 9 am. Most shops in the Outer Market, however, open to the public as early as 6 am, with some vendors bringing fresh seafood in from the Toyosu Market. Moreover, numerous restaurants (many of which are open by 5 am) offer sumptuous sushi breakfast bowls for people raring to start their day with a hearty helping of Japanese fare. Shoppers and visitors might also be lucky enough to catch a tuna carving demonstration at the entrance of the Odawarabashi Building on Harumi Avenue. After all, at Tsukiji, the early bird skips the worm — and goes straight to catching the fish.
