Almost out of every corner, my big body frame (compared to the short world of Japan) got ran over! I couldn`t believe it. Small natural gas powered mobile carts carried boxes and fish and boxes and yep, more fish. Hustling and bustling to their next destination, the ant colony was so organized. Almost none had a moment for a break. There were holding tanks, refrigeration/oxygen tanks, cutting boards, stacks and stacks of stryofoam boxes and crates and people and yelling and shouting and hauling and moving and running and loading and unloading and smoking and laughing and sweating and cutting and gutting and waiting and washing and it was a bit smelly. I looked around to get a glimpse to what it would have been like in the old days if this machinery did not exist. Nothing has changed. The people (all men) shared a commaradery and were proud to what they did. The fast, monotone pace of words grabbed my attention and I glanced over to what I saw, an auction.
Rows and rows of men garbed in dark blue overalls and rubber boots and hats with plastic pins of different numbers and symbols were sitting on a small tennis platform listening to the auctioneer. Slow movements of hands and facial expressions carried thousands of dollars back and forth like volleyball. I was captivated. Literally, hundreds of blue fin tuna twice the size of Sue lined the warehouse. We were told that each can go for 200,000 yen ($20,000) or more for each one. Mostly all of the tuna (maguro) were liquid nitrogenated before they got on shore. Huge blocks were being cut up like wood and marked and ready to be shipped. Each block was numbered and weighed - I saw a number, 250kg! Everything here is extremely organized.
Our bellies lead us to another part of the market, the sushi market. We happen to serendeptiously come across a famous hole-in-the-wall sushi bar called `Sushi Day.` Their entire menu is fresh from the day`s catch and it was soooo good. Talk about sushi. wow. Sue and I were in heaven. The local mackerel was the best. Butter from the sea. The wasabi was fresh root, not powdered, and the ginger not colored, pickled fresh.
We zig zagged our way back coming across numerous booths from selling top of the line sushi knives, to pickled vegetables, fresh fish flakes, rubber boots wool socks, you name it. The next time I eat sushi I have a greater respect for the amount of work that is involved. The Tsukiji Fish Market will be open at 3 am in the morn again , bright and early.