Tsukiji fish market

2050929365 624075Cd76
2051713462 B648C8Ee34
2051694322 48D07D88E9
2051694112 14Cd75Bb7D
2050920747 B6Fac22D0F
2051702444 D4Ed234Ec4
2051711910 32A4E38C4B
Another stop on the MAKE tour was the Tsukiji fish market, it's one of the largest in the world and it's pretty crazy. You need to arrive before 4am to get a really good experience. There are hundreds of old-style bicycle with roller type brakes, I'm not sure why but they were all the same - they carried out boxes of fish to other trucks and beyond the market. As you move around the market it gets a little dangerous dodging extremely fast fork lifts, the skill the drivers have is pretty incredible.

From the wikipedia:

The market handles more than 400 different types of seafood from tiny sardines to 300kg tuna, from cheap seaweed to the most expensive caviar. Overall, more than 700,000 metric tons of seafood are handled every year at the three seafood markets in Tokyo, with a total value in excess of 600 billion yen (approximately 5.5 billion US dollars). Tsukiji alone handles over 2000 metric tons of seafood per day. The number of registered employees varies from 60,000 to 65,000, including wholesalers, accountants, auctioneers, company officials, and distributors.

I was interested in the tools and gear used for this massive undertaking, here are some of the photos - I should have some video up eventually - Link.


Recent Entries

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: hideyourarms on November 21, 2007 at 9:46 AM

Did you buy a knife from the shop in the top pictures? I'm pretty sure it's the same one as I went to, I bought a meat knife and they spent about 10 minutes sharpening it, by hand on various stones. Perhaps they only did it because I went on a quiet day, but it was great to watch how much care they put into it.


Posted by: mirrashidi on November 21, 2007 at 5:53 PM

I took this video of a fishmonger auctioning off tuna back in May:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7gg7FpC3GI&eurl=http://abeinasia.wordpress.com/


Posted by: shamam on November 22, 2007 at 2:27 PM

Here's a gentleman making a knife:

http://flickr.com/photos/shamam/299411333/in/set-72157594359293149/

http://flickr.com/photos/shamam/299411476/in/set-72157594359293149/


Posted by: gino on December 14, 2008 at 2:26 AM

unfortunately, the tuna auctions are temporarily suspended until Jan 15th 2009
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/tsukiji-tuna-auction-no-tourists-allowed/


Posted by: Anonymous on December 16, 2008 at 9:33 PM

Tsukiji Tuna Auction was closed.

Unfortunately, Tuna Auction at Tsukiji was closed because of ill-mannered foreign visitors.

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=tzBwtylHiqo

This was broadcasted all over Japan.


Leave a comment


Subscribe to MAKE!Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.

$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)

Subscribe now


Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out. Make: The risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things... Welcome to Make: Online!


CRAFT Maker Shed Maker Faire MAKE television
MAKE: en EspaƱol MAKE: Japan


Check out all of the episodes of Make: television

Make: Science Room

Connect with MAKE

Be a MAKE fan on Facebook MAKE on Facebook
Visit our Facebook page and become a fan of MAKE!
MAKE on Twitter MAKE on Twitter
Follow our MAKE tweets!
MAKE Flickr Pool MAKE on Flickr
Join our MAKE Flickr Pool!
    make_tips on Twitter

    MAKE's RSS feed is here.
    Add MAKE to iGoogle - GoogleGoogle.
    How to add MAKE to your RSS reader - Real simple.
    Add MAKE on FriendFeed




    Maker SHED

    Advertise here with FM.

    Why advertise on MAKE?
    Read what folks are saying about us!

    Click here to advertise on MAKE!



    Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

    Make: Online authors!

    Gareth BranwynGareth Branwyn
    Senior Editor


    Phillip TorronePhillip Torrone
    Senior Editor
    | AIM | Twitter


    Becky SternBecky Stern
    Associate Editor
    | AIM | Twitter


    Marc de VinckMarc de Vinck
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter


    John ParkJohn Park
    Contributing Writer
    | Twitter


    Sean RaganSean Ragan
    Contributing Writer
    | Twitter


    Matt MetsMatt Mets
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter


    Dale DoughertyDale Dougherty
    Editor & Publisher
    | Twitter


    Shawn ConnallyShawn Connally
    Managing Editor
    | Twitter


    Goli MohammadiGoli Mohammadi
    Associate Managing Editor

    Kip KayKip Kay
    Weekend Projects
    | AIM | Twitter


    Collin CunninghamCollin Cunningham
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter

    Adam FlahertyAdam Flaherty
    Contributing Writer
    | AIM | Twitter



    More contributors: Mark Frauenfelder (Editor-in-Chief, MAKE magazine), Kipp Bradford (Technical Consultant/Writer), Chris Connors (Education), Diana Eng (Guest Author), Peter Horvath (Intern), Brian Jepson (O'Reilly Media), Robert Bruce Thompson (Science Room)

    Suggest a Site!

    Current Podcast

    itunesdl.gif Weekend Project: Making Char Cloth Learn how to make a cheap and effective fire starter made from an old t-shirt. To download The Char Cloth video click here and subscribe in iTunes. See Char Cloth in action with the Fire Piston from William Gurstelle.... More...

    Get the Make: Online sent via email
    Enter your email to receive Make: Online each day:



    MAKE Fascination video series brought to you by Dow

    Make: Education

    Important please read


    Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

    Recent Posts from the Craft: Blog