As fresh as it gets...

I woke up at 4:30 am on a Saturday morning. To go to Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. And it was totally, completely, 100% worth it. I went with Jorge, LeAnne, and their son Alexander (who was a trooper for getting up early too). It was quite an experience- I definitely got an eye full. It's the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and has one of the largest wholesale markets of any kind. It handles 2000 metric tons of seafood per day with 400 types of seafood! And best believe it- I saw tons of things I didn't even know what they were!

playing hit the dumb tourists?

When we got there it was somewhere around 5:20 when the tuna auctions begin. So we made our way back to the auction- thank god I went with people who have been before because it is a madhouse trying to get through. There are tons of workers and employees whizzing around on carts bringing in shipments off docks, and the WILL hit you if you are in the way. It's not catered to tourists at all. It was kind of hard to be so alert and have your wits about you for 5 in the morning but somehow I was quite awake. The tuna auction was neat- the tuna is flash frozen and I never realized how HUGE they are. In person it's just unreal. They go for thousands of dollars!

I love me some fish! Guy in the back is cutting into yellowfin tuna head- massive!

Then after the auction we made our way around the fish market area browsing up and down the small aisles. Thankfully I didn't get any gross fish blood or water spilled on me. It was as close as you can get to the freshest fish possible. Many of them were still alive. It was so neat to take it all in- and in fact did not gross me out really. It wasn't too smelly either. Though some of the blood and fish heads were a bit much for my morning dose.

We made our way through the wholesale market which had all kinds of other foods and items, and little hole in the wall places to eat sushi- at 6 am!! There was a long line for the famous one, and other restaurants around too.

$40 Shiitake mushrooms- mmm yummy!!

Not going to lie- I was hungry and probably could have had some sushi had the group wanted it. Though we opted for Starbuck's instead. Much more my style for breakfast. I was back at my apartment in Hiroo a little after 8 and had the whole day ahead of me! (though a nap definitely took place)

beautiful Indian temple of some kind on the way to Starbuck's

It was so neat to see the whole process up close and how its done- now I know how it got to my table next time I go out for sushi!