Tsukiji Market - Part III

Tsukiji Market is one whole spider web of small alleys such as this. 

And here is the loading and unloading area.

 

There is a special type of vehicle that you can only see in this market.  It roams both inside and outside of market.

 

 

Be very careful.  The market is one whole chaotic place.  The fish merchants, the laborers, the 'special vehicles', trolleys, and the tourists, they all tend to bump into each other.  Plus the many trucks loading and unloading at the side of the market, it is a place full of potential dangers.  It makes it even worse with all that wet and dirty and slippery floor.  Take extra precaution while you walk, and be aware of your surroundings when you are happily taking photographs.  

The small alleys are lined up with all different kinds of seafood shops, selling all kinds of stuff from live seafood to preserved salty fish, etc, etc. 

 

Your eyes will be really busy looking at the people, the fish, & the traffic.  And you know, most of the activities happen before dawn, so everything is under the dim lights of market.

The activities do not limit to the market itself.  Outside the market, there are still many shops selling what the ordinary family needs.  I am aware of there are district 4 & district 3.  District 3 is more for the sushi shops, while district 4 is more for sundry stuff and other related stuff.  There are some food stalls too.

Visiting Tsukiji is quite an experience.  I didn't really intend to visit the market, as I didn't want to wake up 4 o'clock in the morning just to go to some fish market.  Then I think it was kind of fated.  One Caucasian guy set his alarm clock to ring at 4am, and he was not waken up at the first alarm, after he was waken up, he couldn't find his alarm to turn off the alarm.  So you know, all the people in the dorm were waken up by that unexpected 'morning call'.  Ok, since I was already awake, so might as well go to the market, that's how I ended up in Tsukiji at around 6am.  Oh, one more thing, check your train schedule when you plan your trip.  I got to the train station at 5.10am, but the train would only come at 5.35am.  What a waste.

Related Entries:

Part I: http://fearstar.blogspot.com/2009/12/tsukiji-market-part-i.html

Part II: http://fearstar.blogspot.com/2009/12/tsukiji-market-part-ii.html