Originally uploaded by CocoShanell.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, A.K.A Tsukiji fish market is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind.
*The market opens every morning except Sundays and holidays at 3:00 AM with the arrival of the products by ship, truck and plane from all over the world.
*The auctions start around 5:00 am and tourists are no longer allowed to visit the auctions unless they obtain a special permit beforehand.
*Bidding can only be done by licensed participants.
*The auctions usually end around 7:00AM. Afterwards, the purchased fish is either loaded onto trucks to be shipped to the next destination, or on small carts and moved to the many shops located inside of the market.
*The market is most busy between 8:00 and 10:AM
*Many shops start to close around 11:00AM, and the market closes for cleaning around 1:00PM.
