Remember when I mentioned how the Jagalchi Market is the biggest fish market in South Korea? Well, the Tsukiji Market in Tokyo is the biggest fish market in the world.
I visited on a Saturday, and the area around the market was absolutely packed. Like, so packed you could barely move, packed.
Packed.
I quickly came across a sushi joint with a line that was noticeably longer than any of the other restaurants in the area, so I did what I always do when I see a line for food: I got in it. Hard.
After about 40 minutes I was sitting at the bar; I ordered the fish rice bowl, which contained a veritable cornucopia of raw fish goodness, including shrimp, tuna, squid, fish roe, and a whole bunch of stuff that was a mystery to me. A delicious, delicious mystery. It was all on top of some nicely seasoned rice. It was fantastic.
Next, I explored the vendors on the outer market, who sell packaged seafood to the public.
It was interesting, but the real show is in the inner market, which is the heart of the operation where all the wholesaling takes place.
And… it was all packed up for the day.
I wasted so much time wandering around the outer market and lining up for sashimi that I completely missed out on the inner market, i.e. the main reason people come here. Whoops.
I might have to go back at some point before I leave Tokyo.