Friday, September 10, 2010

Tokyo’s unusual attraction – The Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market

Several travelers believe that in order to get a finger on the pulse of a destination you have to visit its markets. Tokyo, the capital of Japan is no different in this respect for one of its prime tourist attractions is its Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market which is actually a wholesale market for the distribution of fish, meat, produce and flowers in Tokyo. The Tsukiji Central market however is largely known as a fish market due to the popularity of its Tuna auctions.

Japanese are the biggest consumers of seafood in the world and in fact the blue fin tuna which is now an endangered species of fish is a highly coveted delicacy in Japan. It is for this reason that the tuna auctions that are routinely held in the Tsukiji market attract much worldwide attention and draw hordes of tourists who wake up at the crack of dawn on their vacations to be on hand for the auctions. Nowadays because of the controversy following the depleting stocks of tuna and the incapacity of the aging market to accommodate the crowds, attendance at these tuna auctions are limited but even then the tourists keep on coming to take in the hustle bustle of the market and to shop and eat at its many stores and restaurants.

If you’ve always had the desire to visit Tokyo and have not yet booked your vacation for the year then perhaps you might want to consider doing so now. While you’re scouting for air fares on the internet you might want to be cognizant of the fact that the journey to Tokyo from the US is one long trek. If you have only limited time for your vacation, you might want to avoid losing precious vacations days to jet lag and fatigue by deciding to travel business class to Tokyo. Business class seats to Tokyo supposedly cost a pretty penny but there are ways on securing them cheap.

You might at first want to check with all the airlines that fly to Tokyo from the US for often these airlines choose to offer sales and promotions in the form of discount business class fares to Tokyo. Sometimes these cheap business class tickets to Tokyo which are not lacking in anyway also include a night or two free hotel accommodations in Tokyo, quite useful in a city which is deemed by most to be one of the most expensive places on earth.

If however you have missed out on these tempting discount business class airfares to Tokyo, you need not fret as you could always turn to an airfares consolidator who often has a slew of business class deals due to exclusive consolidator contracts with various airlines.

Once you have manage to procure the ideal discount business class seat to Tokyo and have arrived at your destination, you must pencil in the Tsukiji market for your must do itinerary. The number of visitors to the auctions is limited to only 140 a day and visitors who wish to witness the spectacle have to apply at the Osakana Fukyu Center which is located at the Kachidoki Gate of the market at 4.30am to gain entry to the hallowed portals of the inner market. The visitors are then let in on a first come, first served basis. The admittance kicks off at 5am when 70 people are let in and the second batch is subsequently let in between 5.40 and 6.15 am.

However there are a number of rules on conduct you have to follow when  you are at the market like no photography, no wearing of high heel shoes, no bringing young children or large suitcases along, no smoking anywhere in the market and no causing any impediments to the professionals at work in the market.

Visitors are allowed to access the busy wholesale area of the market after 9am and they are actively encouraged to visit the many stores and restaurants which are located on the outer ring of the market. The restaurants here serve some of the best sushi in Tokyo and it makes sense to then have a sushi breakfast here on the day that you choose to visit the unusual but wonderful attraction of Tokyo’s Tsuijiki wholesale market.