Tsukiji Fish Market
So, because of Adam's busy work schedule, he had to leave Japan a day earlier than I did. When he met me in Japan at the beginning of the week, he had just come from a two-week work trip in China. They usually fly him to South Korea before flying him home, so after he left Japan, he flew back to South Korea before catching his flight back to Seattle. I could have gone home the same day, but I decided to extend my trip an extra day mainly because it was cheaper to do so.
Of course, every other day but that day, I usually had my phone, external battery stick, and portable wifi device fully charged. For some reason though, when we woke up that morning, all three hadn't charged overnight and were on the verge of dying, so after saying goodbye to Adam at Tokyo Station, I was without wifi, a battery stick, and stuck with a phone that had only 3% battery life. I considered going all the way back to our Airbnb so I could charge up for the day (because I forgot to throw my wall charger in my purse, too) but figured it would only waste time. Instead, I decided to explore the city freely, using only my sense of direction and the maps posted on the train station walls to maneuver around Tokyo.
I'm so glad I decided to do that because it turned out to be a pretty awesome day. My first stop was at the Tsukiji Fish Market. Easy enough to find, though much smaller than I had anticipated.
In order to see all of the crazy tuna auction stuff, I heard you have to get there before 4 or 5 AM and they only allow 120 people in per day, corralling everyone into the auction 60 at a time. It would have been a fascinating thing to see, and I do regret not going, but I guess that's just one more thing we'll have to save for our next visit.
Walking around the market was really interesting. I kept grabbing my phone to take quick photos here and there, but would sadly remember each time that my phone was dead so I could only use my SLR. This was fine of course since that's what I prefer, but in order to be a bit less obvious, it's nice to have your cell phone ready for fast, sneaky shots! I slowly walked up and down the aisles examining everything, not knowing what any of it was. The smells wafted in and out. Grilled fish, smoked fish, raw fish; it was all there. They even had some sweets, but it was still too early in the morning for me and we had basically lived on sweets the entire time we were in Japan, so I resisted.
Being a vegetarian, it was hard to explain to the vendors why I wasn't sampling anything. I felt rude at times, but I'd just smile and shake my head, politely declining, and continue on. Most people (like the guy above) loved that I was taking photos, and they would often smile and pose. I'm sure they're used to photo-snapping tourists like me!
The only thing I ate while I was there was this tamagoyaki or egg on a stick. (Though it doesn't always come on a stick.) It's a sort of rolled omelet, and making it isn't easy. You must be a skilled chef to create the perfect tamagoyaki, and it was a lot of fun watching the guy in the window make them effortlessly. It was semi-sweet and covered in shredded daikon radish. I sat alone on a bench next to the restaurant and tried my hardest to eat it gracefully. The stick is nice in theory, but eggs tend to be slippery, and far too fluffy to stay on it very long. I was using my fingers by the end and noticed a few others nearby doing the same. It was delicious, and if the line hadn't been so long, I probably would have gone back for seconds.
All in all, the market is pretty cool, and a must-see if you're visiting Tokyo. Plus, if you're a seafood/fish lover, you'll leave with a full, happy stomach! As always, thanks for reading. xo