You must see the fish market in Tokyo. Japanese are serious about
their fish, and this is where they go to get serious. We came a bit
late in the day, having gotten in late, so we missed the famous early
morning fish auction, but the place was still wild when we arrived.
To my great surprise, it didn't smell at all. Some Asian fish markets
have driven me out with the stench.
Watch your step here, though. Special tricycle carts are always moving
rapidly down the crowded aisles, and they find pedestrians an annoyance.
Next to the fish market are some sushi restaurants, where you can get
the best and freshest sushi you will ever have. Zagat pointed us at
a place called Daiwa sushi, which, according to the locals in the line,
is the best sushi bar in Tokyo, and that may mean it's the best in
the world. The line was long but the Sushi was amazingly fresh.
I'm not an adventuresome Sushi eater, but K. got the chef's choice
(normally all you can get but they made an exception for the big gaijin)
and loved all of it, except perhaps the raw ebi.
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Vast rows of fish are laid out. This pattern repeats in stall after stall
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One man holds a Tuna with a pick while the other prepares to shave it with an ax.
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Maguro (tuna) move through the band-saw
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Workers inspect fish laid out on the floor
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The market is full of these special tricycle carts, which have a special wheel and motor at the front which can be turned in all directions, allowing them to turn in very tight spaces.
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A lovely shot as late morning light streams in through the roof of the inner curved wall of the market. This is the main lane where vehicles can actually go. Customers move through with their bags of freshly bought fish.
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The racks of fish continue and continue
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The line, about 6 rows deep, at Daiwa Sushi. The Zagat guide rated it the top Sushi bar in Tokyo, perhaps that means the world. As we waited, Japanese in the line kept asking how tourists like us knew of this place. I guess the internet means you no longer need to know somebody to find the best places.
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A giant mountain of Styrofoam containers is molded by a front-end loader near the end of the fish market's day. I hope they recycle.
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Our Sushi chef at Daiwa Sushi, the world's best Sushi bar, serves some other customers. This is half of the restaurant. You see the reason for the line.
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The other half of Daiwa Sushi. A chef places a fresh piece of Nigiri-Sushi on the counter for a customer. No plates here.
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