Tsukiji FG Virus Vaccine

[TennoChinko]

Ive never been to Tsukiji and have no desire to go. Im only interested in the eating of tuna not the auctioning of tuna, especially 5am auctions!

For those that have been there were there lots of ordinary Japanese people walking around, watching the auctions, taking photos, and maybe shopping? Searching for the most watched video on youtube for Tsukiji I found this and the crowd seem to be all Japanese
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN02KzINVSU

No one misbehaves around a guy with a friggen sword.

Interesting video. It looks like the location was not directly inside the auction area but conducted just outside one of the sushi shops in the same area for the benefit of the customers.

The whole issue about tourists interfering with the Tsukiji workers reminds me of an old Blondie & Dagwood cartoon. During his lunch break, Dagwood grabs a sandwich and watches the construction workers as he eats. When he returns to his office, he's surprised by one of the burly construction workers who decides to do the same to Dagwood.

[omae mona]

Some of the tourists in that newer video were clearly "showing off" for the camera, so I'd like to think the normal behavior does not extend to licking fish.

Still, one of the things that struck me is how that massive number of people is in and of itself interfering with business (clogging up aisles, etc.), even when the tourists obey rules. Minor rule violations like flash photography were probably not a big deal in the past, but now the auction participants claim they are missing critical hand signals during moments they are blinded by flashes. I can't believe how patient the market has been; it was never open to the public to begin with, so none of these tourists should have been in there.

I only visited once, in the mid-90s. I was acutely aware that I really wasn't supposed to be in there, so I stayed the hell out of the way. I also remember there were barely any other tourists there. Watching the throngs of tourists in 2008 (hundreds at a time??) in that NTV video was pretty shocking.

Still, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government or the new NTB would be well advised to spend some time and money on setting up facilities so tourists can view the tuna auctions without interfering with business. Shutting down a tourist draw that appears as page 2 on major tour books is not going to help them increase the number of Japan visitors like they hope.

P.S. what is the deal with us gaijin and our love for licking inanimate items in public in Tokyo?

[Takechanpoo]

Although they seemingly blame those "rude" whites like other people's affairs,
they have the potentiality to do the same things. It is like blaming themselves in a mirror.
The reason why "upright" whites blame those "rude" whites is that they exposed what you whites don't want to be watched in the bottom of your hearts. Those "rude" whites are just honest to themselves.

But on the other hand, there is another likelihood that this would-be French dude was a dispatched gaijin tarento pretending to be a tourist for this TV crews to make "good" video fitting to rude gaijin image which Japanese think. Recently Japanese TV often does it for ratings.

[Greji]

P.S. what is the deal with us gaijin and our love for licking inanimate items in public in Tokyo?

Maybe we should just lick animate objects?

[Kuang_Grade]

So many cleavers and bandsaws, yet so little action.

I went to Tsukiji on my first trip to Tokyo a number of years back....I hadn't planned on going but I found myself wide awake at 5:00AM local time my first morning in Japan and it seemed that was the one thing I knew that could be done at that time of day. Proceeded to wonder around the omega man like environs of 5AM Nishi Shinjuku 2 to find the JR station and promptly got on the wrong train line...Eventually, after getting lost pretty every way possible, I made my way there by 8AM after the auctions were over, but I did enjoy my first introduction in the vastly different concept of liability in Japan as I walked around the various stalls and noticed all the various ways I could be easily dismembered, crushed, impaled or run over.

[prolly]

crap i was hoping to go sometime next week.

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: Tsukiji market to let tourists back in

The Tsukiji fish market in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, has decided to resume accepting visits by tourists to its tuna auction area from Jan. 19, but will have security guards lead sightseers around so they do not cause a nuisance. The market will announce its decision to people and companies with ties to the market, as well as hotels and travel companies, next week. Though the early morning tuna auction is a big draw for tourists from overseas, the Tokyo metropolitan government prohibited sightseers from entering the auction site from Dec. 15 because of a large number of incidents in which tourists entered restricted areas or disrupted auctions by taking photos with flashes.

[Mulboyne]

They're baaaack...

[Greji]

They're baaaack...

Hold that maguro for me, I wanna french kiss that baby. Max tongue....

[Mike Oxlong]

You mean that slender vamp in the middle?!

[Greji]

You mean that slender vamp in the middle?!

That's for dessert. I wanna lick and slobber up that first tunny from one end to the other, right before they auction it off to Take's favorate sushiya.....

[Mike Oxlong]

[Samurai_Jerk]

TOKYO – Tourists are known for acting silly, but licking the tuna?

Overwhelmed by a growing number of misbehaving tourists, Tokyo fishmongers banned all visitors from one of the city's most popular tourist destinations — the pre-dawn tuna auctions at the world's largest seafood market.

The ban, imposed during the peak New Year buying season, was front-page news before it was lifted last week. Now, the tourists are back, but the debate goes on: Can tourists be trusted around the tuna?

"We understand that the sight of hundreds of frozen tuna looks unique and interesting for foreign tourists," said Yoshiaki Takagi, deputy director of the market. "But they have to understand the Tsukiji market is a professional place, not an amusement park."

One of the more notorious recent cases was that of a tipsy British tourist — caught on tape by a Japanese TV crew — who licked the head of a frozen tuna and patted its gill. Two others, also caught on video, rode around on a cart used by wholesalers. "Get out! Get out!" an irate market official shouted in English.

more...

[Taro Toporific]

[Mulboyne]

If you are planning to visit Tsukiji, you'll need to keep an eye on this site which will post notifications of temporary closure to visitors like this one:

Visitors can not watch the tuna auction from Monday 9th February to Thursday 12th February for construction work.

[Mulboyne]

The auctions are now closed to visitors until the end of January. That's a long New Year season.

The tuna auction zone of the Tsukiji Market will be temporarily closed to visitors during the busy New Year season to ensure safety and efficient operations.

1 Period of temporary closure

December 10, 2009 (Thursday) to January 24, 2010 (Sunday)

2 Measures taken during the closure

1. Notices on the temporary closure will be posted at the main gate and all other market entrances.
2. Security guards will be stationed in front of the tuna auction visitor zone to inform people of the temporary closure.

3 Other

Although the entire tuna auction zone will be off limits during the above period, visitors will be able to enter the intermediate wholesale market sections and the restaurant facilities. Please note that Tsukiji Market is closed every Sunday.

From here.

[canman]

A little off topic, but why do so many foreigners want to visit the Tsukiji fish market. Monday there were more than 500 visitors to the market.What is the appeal. Now they have shut it down for a month. Has anybody been, was it really worth it? I have been to fish markets here in Hachinohe and while it was interesting, I wouldn't call it the highlight of my life.

[Midwinter]

A little off topic, but why do so many foreigners want to visit the Tsukiji fish market. Monday there were more than 500 visitors to the market.What is the appeal. Now they have shut it down for a month. Has anybody been, was it really worth it? I have been to fish markets here in Hachinohe and while it was interesting, I wouldn't call it the highlight of my life.

I'd imagine that its a cheap/easy bullet point used to fill out itineraries for tour groups. Every tourist knows how much the Japs love their seafood, so of course the fish market must be a really amazing place to visit.

[Kuang_Grade]

I'd imagine that its a cheap/easy bullet point used to fill out itineraries for tour groups. Every tourist knows how much the Japs love their seafood, so of course the fish market must be a really amazing place to visit.

I'll admit that I did went there on my first trip to Japan..The guide books point it out as an unusual place, but it wasn't really on my radar when I was planning on what I was going to do in Tokyo but after waking up around 4AM raring to go on my first full day in Japan , I decided to give it a shot since it is one of the few touristy things that is active early in the morning.

[Mulboyne]

[YThd]cgUEGUzflXc[/YThd]

Here's a video report about the recent closure, showing a few bewildered foreign tourists.

[GomiGirl]

I have said this before, but I have been appalled by the rude behaviour ot some tourists at Tsukiji. I have been a few times with visitors and have found myself "going crook"* on a few people who were wandering around the tuna and interferring with the workers who were just trying to do their jobs.

The signs are very clear - watch from behind the white line.. but no, these fools were wandering around and taking photos and some were even kissing the tuna. Idiots - they just didn't realise how much these were worth.

But rather than shutting out the tourists, the markets should make a viewing area and charge admission. One of the reasons that Tsukiji is so popular is because it is free and open early. Great for jetlagged and cheap tourists. Make them pay and keep them enclosed. On the way out, make them pass through a gift shop selling all sorts of tourist tat: tuna keyrings, sushi fridge magnets, miniature electric trolley cars they use to run around the markets, "I Tsukiji" t-shirts. A huge windfall for the markets. You are not going to keep out the tourists, so make some cash from them. Run proper tours, charge for photos etc etc.

* going crook - verb - def: to get angry.

[canman]

Wow GG, I had the same idea. Charge an admission fee of Y1000 and sell as many stupid trinkets as you can. First off, a lot of people would balk at paying the money, and those that will, keep them far away, so they can see and not touch. As I said before I don't understand the attraction, but I have a feeling tourists want to go home and say that they visit the infamous tsukiji fish market, where they have so many of the endangered blue fin tuna that everybody loves so much. I also agree that watching the video of idiots taking pictures kissing the fish, or smoking and spreading ashes around just makes me want to punch them in the nose. Then there were those idiot French guys who were caught riding on the forklifts. What fools. Then they wonder why they close the market.

[Takechanpoo]

You guys really think that that easy unsurprising ideas don't come into Tukiji merchants' mind? Tukiji is such a sacred place so they never want to do that kind of things.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Tukiji is such a sacred place so they never want to do that kind of things.

Why? Isn't it where they used to keep the eta?

[Samurai_Jerk]

A little off topic, but why do so many foreigners want to visit the Tsukiji fish market.

I went a couple of times over 10 years ago. Once my friend an I got up early to go see it and have some seafood at one of the nearby restaurants and then I took my mom when she visited. I thought it was interesting and my mom loved it. I think the fact that it's not touristy and is totally chaotic is the reason some people like it.

I'd much rather see something like that than a tourist trap like Asakusa.

[Mulboyne]

[Mulboyne]

The auctions will reopen to the public from the 10th. However, there'll be a limit of 140 visitors which seems to be on a first-come-first-served basis. You'll get a numbered ticket and visitors will be split into two groups of 70. The market is informing tourist offices, hotels and embassies of the new arrangements.

Souce (Japanese)

[Greji]

Souce (Japanese)

Shouldn't that be "sauce?"

[blackcat]

Yeah the rude tourists were not good..notice they were all pommy bastards though, and well one frog....something the pommies will whinge about. LOL

GG wow go the omiyage Yen! shit good idea but it seems you have been in Japan waaaaaay too long, the whole tourist rip off thing... maybe you could have the honkies make piece signs and take photos of them! say cheeezu!

Well I wonder if the concerned japanese reporter would have the same zest in his report if all Asians were kicked out of Yosemite (If one dickhead J licked the half dome?) I have a feeling that is whats going on here...after all I wonder if the J police here noticed Asian tourists?? maybe so? doubt it!

Oh well the main thing is that these fish were most likely "Gaijin Tuna" swimming in oceans near Australia or many miles form Japan! Not that old Nipponese fisherman would give a fuck...maybe the tourists have aright to be there? Albeit better behaved.

[Mulboyne]

Open to visitors again. Looks like the first 70 get to wear yellow and the second 70 green.