Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market (Japan)

My visit to Tsukiji market remains one of the most striking memories of the time I spent in Tokyo. Even though you have to get up very early, I really don't regret the hours I spent in this unique place.

It takes place inside a huge hangar and you wander through its many lanes amidst the fish, crates of seafood, vegetables and what have you. The local star of the show: bluefin tuna, a huge fish that is much coveted by the Japanese as a preferred ingredient of the local cuisine. You will see them being prepared with an electric saw.

I was struck by the fantastic atmosphere of the market, including the auction that takes place very early in the morning, around 5 a.m. The place teems with activity, people run and bump into each other, they shout and they haggle, while little cars crisscross the aisles at top speed. In short, it's like a great show! Do not miss the opportunity to taste the sushi at Tsukiji. If there is one place in the world where you can be assured of the freshness of the fish, it is certainly here!

Note that the market is going to be relocated to another district of Tokyo for March 2016.