Tsukiji fish market (Tsukiji shij?) is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind. The market is located in Tsukiji in central Tokyo, and is a major attraction for visitors.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, also known as Tsukiji fish market is located near the Tsukijishijo Station on the Toei Oedo Line and Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line. There are two sections of the market as a whole. The “inner market” (jonai shijo) which is the licensed wholesale market, where the auctions and most of the processing of the fish take place, and where licensed wholesale dealers (approximately 900 of them) operate small stalls. The “outer market” (jogai shijo) have both wholesale and retail shops that sell Japanese kitchen tools, restaurant supplies, groceries, and seafood, and many restaurants, especially sushi restaurants. Most of the shops in the outer market close by the afternoon and in the inner market even earlier.

The market deals more than 400 different types of seafood from tiny sardines to 300kg tuna, from cheap seaweed to the most expensive caviar. Tsukiji alone deals over 2000 metric tons of seafood per day. Approximately 60,000 to 65,000 registered employees working here, including wholesalers, accountants, auctioneers, company officials, and distributors.

The market opens early mornings except Sundays and holidays at 3:00 a.m. with the arrival of the products from all over the world.

The auctions start around 5:20 a.m.and usually stop around 7:00 a.m. Bidding can only be done by licensed holders. These bidders include intermediate wholesalers (nakaoroshi gy?sha) who operate stalls in the marketplace and other licensed buyers who are agents for restaurants, food processing companies, and large retailers.

After auction, the purchased fish is either loaded onto trucks to be shipped to the next destination or on small carts and moved to the many shops inside the market. The market is most busy between 5:30 and 8:00 a.m. and the market closes around 1:00 p.m. for cleaning. Tourists visit time in the market daily between 5 a.m. and 6:15 a.m.

Relocation of the Tsukiji fish market

Tokyo?s Tsukiji, the fish market at the center of the world? for its influence on the global seafood trade, is being forced to move to a site laced with benzene and cancer-causing chemicals. Tokyo?s Metropolitan Government is pushing ahead with plans to relocate the world?s largest fish market to reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay in 2014