Tsukiji Fish Market – a sushi lover’s dream

If you love sushi, and you are lucky enough to be in Tokyo with jetlag there is no better way to feed your fish fetish than a visit and a meal at the Tsukiji Fish Market. This market is the largest fish and seafood market in the world. Interestingly enough it is more of an attraction for tourists than locals, but as I was a tourist and one that adored sushi, for me it was a must-see!

I was staying at the Royal Park Shiodome Hotel in Ginza, which is only a 10-15 minute walk to the market. Unfortunately, the first morning I was in Tokyo was a rest day and the market was closed, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t get sushi!

At 5:30 a.m., I headed over to the market, my desired location being Kiyomura situated in the small streets next to the market. They are open 24/7 and serve sushi non-stop (my kind of place).

My favorite kind of sushi is maguro (tuna) and that just so happened to be the specialty of the house. I ordered the maguro selection which came with several variations and grades of tuna served in a variety of ways.

I was in sushi heaven. After finishing this plate off, I ordered a few other items to try and enjoyed relaxing with copious amounts of green tea as well as a few people and sushi-chef watching. When I could roll myself off the bar chair, I headed out to the market.

Even though it was closed, I wandered around the market and snapped a few photos in preparation for when I would return the next day. I wanted to have before and after pictures.

Here are some of the before the chaos:

The next morning at 6:oo a.m. (still jetlagged) I headed to Daiwa Sushi in Alley 6 for a sushi breakfast in the market. This restaurant has only 6 stools and has waits of over one hour. Because it was 6:00 a.m. and the sushi gods were in my favor, I was able to walk right in and get a stool!

I started with the chef’s choice, a 7-piece selection that I gobbled and savored and relished every bite of. After that the fun began and the sushi chef kept offering different items all direct from the market, hot off the presses so to speak!

It may be incredibly repetitive to say, and I am sorry but was just so darn good, so fresh it melted like butter in your mouth. For a sushi lover, it was nirvana. I could have died right then a happy woman (although having Mr. Misadventures sitting next to me enjoying the meal as well would have been over the top).

After breakfast, I headed to the market, which was in full, swing. It is a matter of life and death to remain alert and out of the way of the workers. One moment of distraction or letting a motorized cart, a worker with a large piece of fish, or even a small car, could hit your guard down and you. This is a busy working market and you can never forget you are just a tourist and in the way.

Photos from the working day:

But oh is it fascinating! And despite being completely full from breakfast there were many things that I wanted to eat. Everything looked beautiful, and appetizing, and there is that word again, fresh. If you were thinking that the fish market must smell awful you would be wrong. Fresh fish doesn’t smell like fish, it just smells like the ocean.

Can you say second breakfast:

After wandering around a bit I headed back to the hotel to prepare to go to the office, after all it was only 8:00 and I still had an hour to kill before most people begin work in Tokyo!

Despite many trips to Tokyo, it was my first time at the Tsukiji Fish Market and I honestly believe that I can never come back to Tokyo without stopping here to eat sushi, after all, what else are you going to do at 5:30 in the morning?