In central Tokyo is one of the world's largest fish and seafood market, better known as the Tsukiji Fish Market.

The first market in Tokyo was still called Edo, appeared in the 17th century. Near the bridge Nihonbashi fishermen from Osaka to sell surplus fish that were brought to supply the fortress at the invitation of Prince Minamoto Tokugawa Ieyasu. Today, the bridge is considered the main Nihonbashi in the country.

Central Wholesale Market was built in 1923 after the "rice riots" when the inhabitants of entire cities were against food shortages and profiteers-wholesalers. In the big cities by the decision of the parliament began to build special facilities for trade in products. The Tokyo market was built in March 1923, and in September the same year was destroyed by the strongest earthquake with a central part of the city. The newly built market in the Tsukiji district.

Currently on the market sold about two thousand tons of seafood a day. At this point, it concentrated almost 90% of the wholesale seafood in Japan. There are more than 60 thousand people. The market consists of two sections, one of them are wholesale trading and processing of fish carried out. The other - a lot of retail shops and stores, restaurants where you can buy kitchen utensils, food and taste of sushi. Market offers its customers several hundred kinds of goods - from small fish to giant tuna products from the cheapest to the most expensive.

Life on the market begins at 3 am with the acceptance of the goods, and the hour of the day the market is already closed. Most retailers curtail trade even earlier - by 11 o'clock. The best time for tourists - from 5 to 6 in the morning. At this time, just go to auction, where middlemen acquire goods for cafes, restaurants and retail shops. On Sundays and public holidays the market is closed. In the market for tourists it is equipped with a special platform from which they can monitor all operations - for example, a huge tuna butchering bandsaw.