The goal for the morning was to visit the Tsukiji Fish Market - the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. Most tourists who go want to see the live tuna auction and/or want to eat at Sushi Dai. Both options require you to wake up super early and wait in line - like 3 or 4 am early. If you really want to do this, do your research - make sure you are going on a day when the market is open, etc. Also, consider going on the earlier side of your trip since you will likely be jetlagged so waking up that early may not be an issue if you can't sleep anyways.
I had been to the market years ago and I seriously deliberated whether I wanted to see the tuna auction on this trip ... but I had seen enough videos of the event and I really didn't want to wake up at 3am to get in line to witness the auction. (I think they have a set number of spots for visitors, so you get in line and if you are lucky enough to get a spot, you are given a vest where they will take you to a designated area to view the auction. Sazyrock went and it seemed cool, but I prefer sleeping...)
Even without getting in line to see the auction, the market is an amazing visual and sensory experience. The variety of seafood is astonishing and, as it is a working market, the crazy activity and trucks and carts speeding around can be quite intense. (Some tips - Be respectful and watch out for the activity around you. Wear waterproof shoes if possible since the floor can be very slippery and there may be fish parts and organs floating about.) Most people want to take pictures of the exotic seafood and then eat sushi at one of the surrounding sushi restaurants surrounding the market. Sushi Dai is probably the most famous, but the lines are crazy and unless you get there super early before they open, you will likely be waiting 2-4 hours. But even if you go elsewhere, it will still be delicious and fresh.
For me, I just wanted to show my husband around the market and get some snacks and souvenirs. We took the subway from Ebisu and it was a quick ride to Tsukiji. After a 10-15 minute walk, we arrived at the market around 10 am. We could see tourists milling around looking confused in the market area which was winding down, but then when we arrived at the stores and restaurants surrounding the market, it was jam-packed! We squeezed our way through the packed alleyways and managed to get some pretty mochi desserts and tamago on a stick (sweet egg).
After an hour of being jostled in the crowds, we had had enough and started making our way away from the market. We noticed these little temples right outside of the market, which I think were traditionally for fishermen to pray for bountiful catches and safety. It was a nice peaceful respite after all the noise and crowds.
The walk back to the subway was also interesting - more restaurants and shops. We saw a man with a tiny grill housing just a few shells with seafood. I decided to be brave and try one and much to my surprise, he whipped out two blowtorches and torched my order. So fun and quite tasty! Of course after that show, more tourists lined up to get their own orders.
For lunch we had reservations for tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) at Butagami. Sazyrock had told me it was her favorite tonkatsu on her trip to Tokyo so of course I had to try it. The restaurant is sort of hidden in a residential area, but google map got me there relatively easily. There were a few english menus so we were able to order our set lunch meals. They had so many varieties of pork that we sort of just picked randomly and we were not disappointed. The meal was amazing! Pork was flavorful and juicy, and perfectly fried. I can't say it's the best I've ever had, but definitely in the To 3.
After lunch, my husband wanted to check out some antique shops and bookstores and I wanted to go to Don Quijote, so we went our own way for a few hours. During that time, I had a super fun time shopping at Don Quijote in Roppongi (see my blog post here), and then at Takayashima in Shinjuku, where I got a super cute bag that I'm still loving months later. (See here)
By the time my husband found me, we were ready for a coffee break. Like all nice department stores in Japan, Takayashima had an amazing food basement hall. We sample delicious treats and then stopped at a coffee bar for a break before we picked up some sake. By then, it was around 7pm so we decided to try out Shot Bar Zoetrope - a whiskey bar that repeatedly gets rave reviews.
It's a tiny bar but we were there when the bar opened so we had no problems snagging a prime seat at the bar. The owner is a bit eccentric as you can tell upon entering the kooky little bar, which is decorated with anime and kung fu figures and random 80's pop cultural references, while silent, black and white movies play on a loop. He does not like pictures, but if you ask he will let you take pictures of the bar so long as he's not in the frame. We spent several hours here trying out Japanese whiskeys and specialty cocktails, while the owner educated us with his vast knowledge of the subject. There was also a lovely Canadian couple who sat next to us and it was fun sharing recommendations.
We were really tired and our shopping bags were getting heavier and heavier. Instead of venturing out for dinner, we bought a bunch of food at a 7-eleven and had a mini feast in our hotel room. So random, but we really enjoyed it!
Another great day in Tokyo - there's so much to eat and do in this town that I already know I have to come back in the future!
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