Something fishy at sunrise...

I'm not exactly sure who had the bright idea to get up at 4:45am to visit the Tsukiji Fish Market, but I'm glad we sacrificed a little sleep (and our lives) to visit such a Tokyo landmark. Tokyo's normally lively streets and train stations were quiet and the smell of fish was evident immediately after we exited the train at the Fish Market stop...we knew we were in the right place. Arriving at the largest fish market in the world, it was nothing less than controlled chaos. If you're not careful you could end your life here, crushed under a tuna or a man wheeling a cart or driving a fork lift full of human-sized tuna. We really needed eyes in the back of our heads for this trip because I saw my life flash before my eyes several times. We saw the auction from the opening in the airplane hangar like building, filled with fat silver and black skinned tuna so big I think I could fit inside one. Lori commented that she didn't know tuna existed outside of the Chicken of the Sea can...I too was amazed at the size of these fish!! Tourists are no longer welcome at the tuna auctions as the camera-toting curiosity seeking foreigners (gaijin) were getting in the way of business and we too, felt like we were in the way the entire time. We had planned to eat sushi at one of the stalls surrounding the market after our visit, but after smelling the fish and sloshing around in fish gravy (FYI: flip flops are not a good idea) we decided to go back to the hotel and clean off instead.