Here's the transaction tourists are eager to see. The tuna lies on the floor just before the auction.
The Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, commonly known as Tsukiji Market, has a long history of 70 years. It has the largest fish market in Japan. The frozen bluefin tuna are auctioned here alomst every day, starting at 5:30 in the morning.
The visitors can stay at the auction site until 6:15 but the bidding itself might end before that time. Now they are required to stay in the roped area because too many visitors and their behavior have become a problem for the serious auction.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced that the market will be moved to Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo in 2014.
Meanwhile, lots of tourists, Japanese and those from overseas, come to see the market activities and get immersed in the brisk and another dimentional atmosphere.
The visitors can stay at the auction site until 6:15 but the bidding itself might end before that time. Now they are required to stay in the roped area because too many visitors and their behavior have become a problem for the serious auction.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced that the market will be moved to Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo in 2014.
Meanwhile, lots of tourists, Japanese and those from overseas, come to see the market activities and get immersed in the brisk and another dimentional atmosphere.
Tsukiji Fish Market is one of tourists' favorite spots. But this time, I'd rather show a picture of Tsukiji Honganji temple. It's within an easy walking distance from the market. The temple was designed by Dr. Chuta Ito, a well-noted reseacher, professor, and architect who chose to focus on Asian architectures rather than those of Europe. His works include Meiji Jingu shrine, Heian Jingu shrine, and others. This temple looks different from standard temples found in Japan. Looks rather Indian. Inside are chairs for worshippers and pilgrims as well as a pipe organ and chandeliers. He found values in cultural assets from the past but at the same time was very progressive. I came to know him through Okinawa, not through those famous shrines in Mainland Japan. Along with Yoshitaro Kamakura who took up a teaching job in Okinawa only to fall in love with the place, he was a great advocate for the preservation of Shuri-jo castle, Okinawa. The castle was about to be demolished in 1923 due to the then government's lack of cultural appreciation, but only a few days before the actual demolition, the decision was turned over thanks to Ito and Kamakura's effort. Ito had been shown thorough records on things Okinawan done by Kamakura. They fully understood the value of the Okinawan culture. Ito was on a position of influencing the government's decisions concerning art and culture. The castle was after all totally destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. It took some decades until it was beautifully restored in 1992. Kamakura's research materials and records were reliable sources for the faithful restoration of the castle and related items.
Roppoingi is one of Tokyo's must destinations. If you try, you can enjoy a whole day with a mini- mum budget. That is, if you are not a impulsive shopper. Try a tour offered by Tokyo Midtown. There are two types of tours; one is with a guide speaking through a microphone and you listen via your ear phone (the duration is one hour), and the other on your own with an audio guide provided. The one with a guide costs 1500 and it's worth trying. The guide lets you know some interesting architectural or artistic concepts of the place. There are a number of artistic works like sculptures standing alone or displayed in a case. Those permanently displayed outside or in the first-level basement have their specific themes. Or the floors are made of bamboo to infuse the buildings with a Japanese touch. There's lots more you get to know during the tour. One way to fully appreciate the tour is you enjoy and explore the compound by yourself before participating in it. You should feel and enjoy the place first without any prejudice. You are free to evaluate the place without being convinced by any kind of information that way. Besides the art works displayed in the public space, the Suntory Museum offers you further chance to appreciate art. The photo is the main entrance to Galleria, the shopping area of the complex. It represents a grove of a shinto shrine. The three panels depicts the sun, trees, and a Shime -nawa straw rope hanging at a shinto shrine from the top to the bottom respectively. There's a basin at the bottom, streams of water going down into it. The National Art Center designed by Kisho Kurokawa is within five-minute walk. In less than ten minutes, you can walk to Roppongi Hills, another complex for shopping, living, staying, watching movies, visiting the Mori Museum of Fine Arts, etc. Roppongi is where you can enjoy shopping, dining, and art at the same time.
Try an easy bus tour and get yourself acquainted with micro-cosmos of big Tokyo. What’s more, the bus ride itself is a lot of fun. It’s a convertible bus made in Germany; that is, above you is only sky. The scenery you can expect to enjoy includes the big blue sky and Tokyo’s sky- scrapers. The tree branches are so near you when the bus drives through boulevards lined with cherry trees. Imagine you are on the bus when the cherry blossoms are at their peak. The bus also drives under elevated railways, which is a little thrilling because the height of the vehicle driving under them has to be 3.9 meter or below and the bus is 3.8 meters high. You are kindly asked to remain seated; otherwise you would soon regret what you did. The bus leaves the Mitsubishi building near Tokyo Station, passes the Imperial Palace, National Museum of Modern Art, British Embassy, National Theater, Supreme Court which looks like a stone fortress with not many windows (due to privacy protection), Diet building, several government buildings in Kasumi -gaseki, fashionable Ginza and buildings of brand companies like Hermes, Tokyo Station, Maruno -uchi business district before coming back to the departure place. It lasts about 50 minutes and costs 1200 for an adult. The recorded narration and attendant’s announcement are provided in Japanese. For international guests, audio guides are available in several languages. In that case you are provided, free of charge, with a gadget and an ear phone through which you listen to the narration. When you are a bit tired of crisscrossing Big Tokyo alone by using public transportation and feel like sitting, try this tour. You will be refreshed.