Hello, I am Seally-go-round the sea lion. ^^

Today, the sea lion will take you to eat sushi, raw fish, and sweet eggs before the rooster crows and the sun even rises. ^^'

Many tourists visiting Tokyo include a trip to the Tsukiji Fish Market on their wish list, alongside shopping in popular districts. At the very least, they hope to experience the long queues for famous sushi restaurants like Sushi Dai, Daiwa Sushi, and Sushibun. Others come to soak in the market atmosphere or witness the tuna auction, which requires waking up before dawn to secure a queue ticket as early as 3 am.

The seals also wanted to, but the time was too cruel, and the train wasn't running at that time. It was still difficult to come.

This article provides a review of the early morning atmosphere at the Tsukiji Market and how to get there by subway. It is important to visit soon before it becomes a legend, as it is scheduled to move to a new location. The move was originally planned for November 2016, but has been repeatedly delayed.

While they are debating whether to move or not, let's take advantage of the time and go out to eat and have fun. ^^

What interesting things can we find here in the early morning? Let's set our alarms for 4 am and see! ^^

- It is currently 4:00 am. -

The temperature is around 9-10 °C.

...Oh, why did I wake up so early?...

I woke up early this morning because...

This morning marks the first day of our three-night, four-day (well, technically three-and-a-half-day) trip to Tokyo, which we have meticulously planned.

Day 1 - Arrived at the accommodation near Shinjuku around 9 pm.

Day 2 - We will depart for Kawaguchiko in the late morning, around 9:00 AM, and stay there for one night.

Day 3 - Return from Kawagoe to Tokyo, stay in Ueno.

Day 4 - Explore the Asakusa and Ueno areas, then depart.

We only have two mornings in Tokyo, and since the Tsukiji Fish Market is closed on Sundays, today is our only chance to visit. If you don't force yourself to wake up early today, you'll miss out on Tsukiji for sure, my dear.

(As I have to be at Kawa at 9:00 AM, any further delay would disrupt my entire travel plan.)

Moreover, we are unsure when we will have the opportunity to visit Tokyo again. Our next visit may not include a trip to this market, as we heard rumors that it will be relocated to Toyosu, near Odaiba, in November 2016. However, as of January 2017, the relocation has not yet occurred due to complaints from fishmongers who claim the new location is too cramped for them to properly prepare fish. We will continue to monitor the situation and hope that the relocation does not occur, as the new location lacks the classic charm of the current market.

Therefore, we must hurry before it becomes a legend. Going to a new place doesn't have the same feel as the old Tokyo fish market, does it?


.....Wake up early, wake up early, let's go to Tsukiji!!


------ 4.30 a.m. Start your journey

After a quick shower and change of clothes, I walked to the nearby train station. (The hotel I stayed at, Kadoya, was located near Shinjuku.)


Upon arrival at the station, purchase your ticket first. The first train departs at 5:00 AM, which coincides with our arrival time of approximately 5:00 AM.

Take the Oedo subway line.

We are currently at Shinjuku Station (E27). Our destination is Tsukiji Station (E18). The fare is ¥270 per person.

Is it too early? There's no one here. This is Shinjuku Station, though. It must be packed like sardines at 7-8 am.

The train is here!

The journey took approximately 20 minutes to reach E18 station.


Upon exiting the station, a noticeable increase in office workers becomes apparent. A short walk from the exit leads directly to the market entrance.

However, I hesitated before entering, unsure which way to go. It looked like a delivery entrance for trucks, and I didn't want to walk in randomly and get in the way.


"Excuse me, officer. The officer gave me a market map and pointed this way. I can just walk in, right?"

It's not even dawn yet, but the market is already bustling with activity. It's almost 6 am now.

In the market, one thing to be careful of is small fish-carrying vehicles that speed through the area. While they are not at fault for driving fast, we should avoid obstructing their work. Therefore, please be cautious when walking.


Various shops have started to open, but some shops that have not yet opened are already crowded with people in front of them. These are the famous sushi restaurants, such as Sushi Dai and Sushibun, where the queues are getting longer and longer.

Sushi Dai's line is incredibly long, with people waiting in the cold even before the restaurant opens.

Due to limited time, the sea lion would prefer to find a restaurant with few people or opt for other snacks.

The fresh market zone opens in the early morning hours, offering a wide variety of fresh seafood, vegetables, fruits, and numerous sushi restaurants.

This restaurant serves eel rice with a Thai menu (probably translated by Google Translate).


This shop sells dried fish wholesale.



The knife shop accepts credit cards. I've heard that a good fish filleting knife can cost over ten thousand baht.



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Shops are starting to open one after another, even though it's only past 6 AM.


Let's go find some snacks together! ^^ For those who don't like raw fish but love sweet eggs, I highly recommend Shouro, the famous sweet egg restaurant.



Should I try everything here? Haha.



Okay, I bought two small boxes to give to my mother at the hotel.

The taste was good, but as someone who is not a connoisseur of sweet eggs, I cannot say how it compares to truly exceptional sweet eggs.

However, this is too cold. I don't know if it's because of the weather or if they intentionally made it cold. Maybe they don't eat hot food, haha.

If you're in the area, be sure to try it! (My mom says it's delicious.)


At the end of the road, I found this auntie selling what looked like skewered and grilled seafood fritters. I had to try it!

The taste is like fish balls, with a seafood smell and flavor. It is coated with a salty sauce, which is quite delicious.



Across the street from the fried cassava stand mentioned earlier, there is another shop called Tsukiji Yama-Chou. They sell large skewers of sweet eggs for only 100 yen each.

This restaurant's sweet egg dish is served warm in a steamer and drizzled with a sauce that resembles tempura sauce. The aroma of dried fish is enticing, and the dish is a delicious way to warm up on a cold day.


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(This is a monkey's hand, isn't it? 555)

In Japan, it is common to stand and eat food, but do not walk and eat. Instead, sit and eat on the opposite side where there are seats.


After we finish eating snacks, let's go worship the ancestors.^^ We're done eating.

Walk a little further and you will find the Namiyoke Inari Jinja shrine.

This is an ancient shrine, over 300 years old, revered by the fishmongers and merchants of the Tsukiji market.

The history of this shrine is quite interesting. It may be a small shrine, but it has a rich and fascinating story.


For more details, please refer to this link: http://www.marumura.com/travel/?id=6132. Credit: Story by The 8th Ronin www.marumura.com.


The text describes a historical land reclamation project in a coastal area. The original location was a flooded sea, and the government planned to reclaim the land for economic development. However, construction was delayed due to strong winds and waves. To overcome this challenge, a shrine was built to pray for protection from the elements and ensure the project's success.

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Subsequently, the shrine became a place of worship for local seafood vendors. As a gesture of gratitude for the animals that provide them with a livelihood, they erected stone sculptures depicting various crustaceans, mollusks, and fish.

The wooden lion head is a sacred object that the Japanese believe controls people, making them obedient and compliant. They have a festival where they parade red and black lion heads around the fish market every June. It's worth seeing!



Most visitors to this shrine come to pray for prosperity in business and protection from natural disasters, reflecting the original purpose for which it was built. After leaving the shrine, I had some time to spare, so I decided to grab some sushi at Tsukiji Market.


Given the limited time, queuing is not an option. Although arriving early would have secured a spot near the front of the line, the sea lion preferred to explore the market. Due to time constraints, the opportunity to queue had to be forgone.

The sea lion opted for a reputable but less crowded establishment. "Let's go with Tsukiji Sushi Sen," it declared. The rationale behind its choice? The name contained the word "Tsukiji." (That way, it would know where it had eaten.)


This restaurant is said to be affordable. It is located in the heart of the fish market, so the freshness of the fish (presumably) is similar to other restaurants in the area.

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Today, I ordered a special set menu called the Early Bird Special Set for ¥1,500, which includes miso soup.

As shown in the image.

This is the first time I've ever had sushi for breakfast. ^ ^


Vivid colors, tempting and delicious.

Beware! Wasabi is hidden inside, but the wasabi here isn't very spicy.

Alternatively, if you prefer to order individual words, simply select them from the list below.

The freshness is guaranteed, as it is located near the fish market. I'm curious to know if the restaurants with long lines are truly more delicious. Perhaps I'll try them next time.


The storefront has a gachapon machine. I decided to try my luck and got my favorite salmon sushi as a souvenir. ^^

Leaving the sushi restaurant, I intended to walk over to the fish market, but unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to enter.



The market opens to the public after 9:00 AM because vendors are busy with wholesale transactions in the morning. Tourists are not allowed to enter during this time to avoid disrupting their work. Unfortunately, we were unable to wait until 9:00 AM, so we missed the opportunity to visit the market.



**Regarding the viewing of the fish auction**


Admission is limited to 120 visitors per day.

Divided into two rounds.

- Round 1: 60 participants, 5:25 AM - 5:50 AM

- Round two, remaining 60 people, time 5:50 - 6:15

Admission is limited to the first 120 people in line, who must arrive before 5:00 AM.


Registration is required at the Osakana Fukyu Center (Fish Information Center) at the Kachidoki entrance. Registration begins at 5:00 AM.

Public viewing is available every day except Sundays, some Wednesdays, and major holidays. During peak market periods with high trading volume, such as the New Year, public viewing is not available from December 1, 2015 to January 16, 2016.


Here's how to check the opening and closing days of the fish market.

I recently came across an article on the JapanList Facebook page, which provides a comprehensive list of information about Japan.

Click here to view the link.

http://japantourlist.com/en/tsukiji-market-calendar_317j

Plan your trip in advance to avoid disappointment, wasted time, and disruption to your itinerary.

_____________________________________

Daybreak has arrived, and it's time to return to the hotel to pick up my parents before continuing our journey to Kawaguchiko.

The queue to enter this sushi restaurant is incredibly long, stretching beyond the building. It's not even 8 am yet. If I had the time, I would definitely join the queue for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.



Finally, I made it to Tsukiji! It was fun to walk around and try different foods in the early morning chill. Waking up early was worth it for this unique travel experience. ^^



We must now quickly return to Shinjuku to pick up my parents at the hotel and then check out to continue to Kawaguchiko.


I will share my travel experience from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko in the future.

A warm morning scene with a fish transport truck from Tsukiji.


Follow Seally-go-round's culinary adventures, including travel, dining, and cooking, at the following link: Seally-go-round.

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