Tsukiji Fish Market is the most famous market for sushi chef to look for the freshest ingredients from the ocean. For decades, chefs would arrive to the market before the break of dawn to place bid on the highest quality fish for their restaurants before anyone else. It was a great pride to get their hands on the best of the best fish of the day. That was the wholesale market in Tsukiji. Today, the wholesale section has moved to Toyosu back in early 2019, but the outer market is still there in Tsukiji. And the outer market is where the restaurants and stalls are. It is a little tourist-y for many Japanese, but without a doubt, Tsukiji outer market does have one of the best seafood in Tokyo.
*Japanese eggs are under strict hygiene control so it is safe to eat Japanese raw eggs
There are so many options with restaurant people yelling trying to get everyone's attention and packed with tourists walking shoulder to shoulder. It is overwhelming and intimidating.
Even so, Tsukiji is still a must-go. Not just for seafood, there are many restaurants that offer cooked items, like soba noodles, seafood burgers, Japanese omelet, tempura, udon, and some Japanese dessert.
We were on the hunt for sea urchin bowl and found out Uni Tora is the best place to go. It was still early but the first floor was full when we arrived. I ordered a bowl with 5 different kinds of sea urchin and the waitress delivered a sheet of paper explaining what kinds of sea urchin would be served that day and how to eat them. (very thoughtful.)
What is sea urchin? Sea urchin is a black, spiny, globular sea animal that is usually black. Some of them have bright shiny colors, like orange, purple, white or fuchsia.
How to eat it? Because the outside is pointy, you eat the inside after it is cracked open and cleaned. Inside has a rich yellow color and soft in texture.
What does sea urchin taste like? It has a clean ocean taste without being fishy. It is creamy and sweet unlike any other seafood. Sea urchin is considered a delicacy and can be quite expensive.
If sea urchin is not your thing, there are plenty of other options. We saw a stall selling grilled prawns and scallops and ordered some. We found a tiny shop selling fresh toro (fatty tuna) so we ordered some. We walked pass another one selling sweet shrimps, we stopped and got some too. And there were desserts too. The fun of it is to try many different things without getting full right away.
The only suggestion I have is to visit early. I have gone at different times: early morning, mid-morning, noon. The crowd seems to be better in the early morning. It was very crowded close to lunch time. Especially if you plan to dine at one of the famous restaurants, there is usually a queue outside.
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