Tsukiji fish market, Fish market in Japan
Tsukiji was a major fish market in Tokyo, Japan, where seafood was traded for decades as the city's primary wholesale hub. The outer section featured narrow lanes lined with stalls, small restaurants, and shops selling kitchen knives, dried fish products, and prepared dishes.
The market opened in 1935 following the Great Kanto Earthquake, which had destroyed much of Tokyo and required rebuilding. The wholesale operations relocated to Toyosu in 2018, though the outer market area with food vendors continued to operate and receive visitors.
The name comes from Japanese words meaning reclaimed land, as this area was filled in after the 1923 earthquake. Early each morning, traders and chefs would move between crowded stalls packed with ice and seafood to find the freshest catches.
The stalls opened very early in the morning, and most shops closed by afternoon, so visiting before midday was ideal. The narrow passages required careful walking and attention to delivery vehicles and foot traffic moving through the lanes.
Before it closed, the location was known for early morning tuna auctions where individual fish sold for exceptionally high prices. Some of the remaining restaurants in the outer section still source tuna directly from local wholesalers for their menus.
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