Tsukiji fish market – not for the faint-hearted

Tsukiji fish market is one of Tokyo’s more unusual tourist attractions. Most people wouldn’t put ‘fish market’ on their list of sightseeing places to visit on holiday, but in Tsukiji’s case that’s what happens when you’re the biggest in the world.

Despite its reputation for being a tourist attraction, in reality it’s not, it’s a living, functioning, thriving market, where hundreds of people have jobs to do and tourists are often seen as a hindrance to that. As a result Tsukiji fish market is not a place to go if you like your tourist attractions easy.

The market itself is a bit of a maze so it’s often difficult to work out where you are in it. Add to that the countless trolleys and motorised turret carts that whizz past you at relatively high speed and a lack of signs, and it makes for an experience that is not for the faint-hearted. The motorised turret carts alone do not seem to stop for anything, and on a few occasions I’ve had to jump out of the way of one.

Most people come to see the tuna auctions. And if this is your intention then be prepared to get up at 3am, catch an overpriced  taxi to get there, dodge turret carts, find the auction room with no signs or directions, and then be herded into a tight corral-type space with about 150 other people.

The tuna auction is only part of the story though. Once it’s over the market goes into full swing as wholesalers collect their fish, cut them, scrape them, gut them, box them, display them and a whole host of other things. These processes take place in full view of the market and it can be fascinating to walk through and see these processes, as well as the many different types of fish – both big and small.

If you plan on photographing either the market or the tuna auction then make sure you are using fast lenses and be prepared to shoot at high ISO. Most of the images below were shot at between 1600 and 2500 ISO. The market is very dimly lit in places so be prepared for that. Note also that flash is frowned upon in the main market and not allowed in the tuna auction.

Below are some images from the main part of the market to give you an idea. I’ve also put some useful links for anyone planning on visiting the market at the end of this entry.

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Useful links for Tsukiji Fish Market:
Tsukiji Market website (English)
Wikipedia entry on Tsukiji
Time Magazine info on Tsukiji
Tokyo local government info on Tsukiji