In the Island country of JAPAN, fish and seafood are the central focus of their culinary routine. The Tsukiji Fish Markets in TOKYO process around 2,700 tons of fish a day handling more than 400 different types of seafood. The bustling marketplace comes to life in the early hours of the morning when the fish is inspected before the auctions start at around 5.30 a.m. Once bought the seafood is taken by the wholesalers back to their stalls in the markets, as well as heading off to restaurants and retailers .Almost all the fish eaten in TOKYO come from these markets. Plans to relocate the markets by 2012 are under way, a move prompted by the ageing buildings of the Tsukiji markets and the larger area of the new site at Toyosu.
PIXS TAKEN......021221 (21ST DECEMBER 2002)
Pic shows...Buyers bid against each other once the Auctions begin.