jib71

Seems people aren't so interested in the "real" Japan after all.

mosburger

Yes, how many visitors have actually slept on a rice field like I did in a drunken stupor 15 years ago on Hokkaido?

As for fish markets in Asia, Noryangjin in Seoul, 24/7, is far more interesting in culinary terms than Tsukiji. More variety of food available for visitors to eat, some of the seafood there is also priced beyond ordinary mortals in Japan.

In Japan, Hakodate on Hokkaido is the "keeping it real" champion of all the fish markets I have seen. Akashi in Kansai also quite good. But in my uneducated opinion, fish markets in Korea are more interesting if the purpose of visiting is also to eat and enjoy fresh fish and seafood.

drewguy

Any recent tips for someone who is interested in going to see the early morning auctions (other than "don't bother")?

I understand the new limits - 120 people, 2 groups of 60.

How early does one have to arrive? Is it clear when you arrive that you've got a ticket or do you have to wait until someone shows up at 5am to find out you missed the cut?

Anything else?

BuildingMyBento

Firstly, how is Ota market?

As for Tsukiji, I still like to wander around the market grounds, checking out shops that specialize in katsuoboshi, tamago and tsukemono. I've seen the auction once, but the actual auction process doesn't make up for the agita involved in being a spectator.

Regarding other wholesale markets in Northeast Asia, Jagalchi in Busan, RoK was swell - you could eat right beside (or above) the fishmongers, and then there's Karato market in Shimonoseki, best known for its fuku.

LapLap

Genuine query here (I have no proficiency whatsoever in Japanese).

Is "tamago" (eggs) the right word in this case? Or are you talking about shops that sell gyoran (fish roe)?

mkjr

BMB is talking about egg [in reference to tamago]....i was at this place called Marutake. very very good. but i think also other stuff.

as to the original question...

show up at 4 if you want a visi vest. nothing says you're not really welcome more like the visi vest. and please, do turn off your flashes.

personally, i enjoy shopping around the wholesale market in the early am. buying some great stuff...no camera of course, just my memories. it is nice since even the security leaves you alone if your note snapping away to become a pulitzer prize winner...and you have some bags of goodies. this little place that sells little deep fried goodness towards the back is to die for. a security gaurd on my last visit in june started to walk towards me when he saw me just around 7 but then when he saw my bags of stuff, just turned and walked away.

LapLap

So he's not talking about eggs (tamago), nor is he talking about dried/pressed/preserved fish roe (gyoran), he's actually talking about omelets (tamagoyaki)?

Silly me!

mkjr

i think so.

i think this place is what BMB was making reference to. [or places like it around tsukiji]

http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131301/13020932/
http://www.tsukiji-marutake.jp/

drewguy

Thanks. I arrived a couple of minutes before 4am and I was one of the last to receive the green (first group) vest -- I was maybe #55 (assuming the last was 60).

Meanwhile, folks were still getting the blue (second group) vests until about 4:40.

As for whether to do it or not . . . tough call. Both a friend and my wife highly recommended it, but based on pre-120 group visits. Now you're in the auction area for about 15 minutes. You see one auction, a bunch of frozen fish, and they move you on. It's certainly entertaining and interesting, but not getting-up-at-3am interesting.

When I go back, I'll go back after 9a and explore the stalls. I managed to get by the guard ("Are you a buyer?" "Yes"), but they exclude visitors then for a reason - it's really busy and crowded. I would expect much of the same fish still to be there.

yokozuma

My girlfriend wrote a bit of a beginners guide recently after our first visit, hope it's useful:

http://www.thecutlerychronicles.com/...a-auction.html

The place was full at 3am one day when we went and got turned away, large tour group maybe? Next day arrived at 2.50am and were first in the queue.

My advice would be if you've got 4+ days in Tokyo definitely go, any less than that and the early 2am start combined with possible jet lag might knock you out for the rest of the trip!

Strawboy1230

Thanks for the tip and great write-up.

Much appreciated!

mkjr

i would add that if you are prepared to put your camera away and are prepared to buy some stuff, in particular, there is always lots of places that will package up some of the less perfect cuts of varying grades of tuna for purchase - prices range from 500 - 2500, some i had were around 2200 this time and was some very very nice fatty pieces of odd shapes and sizes - and look for some other goodies to buy, you should be fine in the inner market afterwards - even at 6:30. that said, you even pull out your camera once or someone, in particular, security sees a flash, you will be frog marched out.

so if it were me and i did not want to wait around and was fine having my memories and reference to the thousands of others photos out there, i would buy some great tuna and a few other of the deep fried snacks and walk around. just walk around like you have a purpose and know where you are going and watch out for the people working.

BuildingMyBento

mkjr is right (there's more than one outlet that sells it, though Marutake looks familiar).

LapLap, even though it is officially tamagoyaki, I've seen it called tamago in plenty of restaurants. Also, when I order it at kaitenzushi, simply saying tamago does the trick.

LapLap

Again, silly me for not realising that when you said that in Tsukiji "I like to check out shops that specialise in tamago" you meant omelets.

I feel like such a fool. Thank you for putting me right.

BuildingMyBento

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Tamago 1

Tamago 2

Tamago 3