Tsukiji Fish Market - Tuna by plane

Tsukiji market finds its origins in a market built by the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu,  who also built Tokyo. The aim was to attract the best fishermen of the country to the new built city, and make them supply seafood to the castle. After that, it was severely destroyed by the Kanto earthquake in 1923 and was totally renewed and modernized. In this wholesale market, the fish is brought from all over the world, by containers or by planes:-)

Frozen tuna is brought through big containers.

Fresh tuna is the most expensive because it is generally transported by planes to reach the market within 48 hours of its capture.

Bid for the best piece

There are only seven wholesalers, and all the fish has to go through them. The fish is put into small groups and its fish has its own number. Then, they group in one corner, and they start bidding on each fish by itself. The bidders speak a language incomprehensible for normal people -don't blame your Japanese if you go there- and they are pretty quick: every bid is done in few seconds!


The bidders speak their own language

The quality control is particularly strict in this market. Every single fish is examined by potential buyers.