Sushi for Breakfast, Tokyo like Blade Runner, and 120 pound frozen tuna
This morning, woke at 2:30am. Ventured to the window, set up my tripod, and took a half dozen images of Tokyo, with a feel similar to Blade Runner. Really love the digital format: it makes this kind of thing much easier...and I know the photos I got are good. In fact, they're beautiful, and should be posted soon.
Met Andrew at the elevator (Jenny wussed out on us, which I thought Andrew would do instead) and we left at 3 for the fish market, or at least intended to. The first three cab drivers we spoke with didn't understand enough English to get us there, so we retreated to the warm dryness of the hotel - A to his room for a map, and me to the front desk to ask for help. We both got the info we needed, and headed out, this time successfully talking to a cab driver (relatively speaking - we did get there) and left the cab at 3:45. Then we started walking; through alleys, down streets, past lots of fish sellers and 24hr sushi restaurants, knowing we'd know the fish market when we arrived there. So we walked, and walked, and finally arrived at a bee-hive of activity, with men on standing motorized carts whipping by, certainly not about to slow for a couple of Americans. This place had to be a 6 or 7 acre processing facility, filled with people smartly wearing rubber galoshes, buzzing around, moving fish on palettes and in foam containers. And live fish: still swimming in small tanks, or eels in buckets being separated out. And dying fish: not dying in the tragic slow-and-painful sense, but rather with a knife cutting quickly and effectively through some artery just below the head. But it didn't always work: there was a particular tank of eels, all of whom were supposed to be dead, but one was turning, slowly, writhing even...he apparently hadn't gotten the message.
And then the tuna. This part was amazing: easily 3 or 4 feet long, being thrown out the back of trucks steaming with dry ice; more being slid than thrown out the back, landing on a tire laid flat, bouncing once into the pavement. They were frozen and white from condensation, being weighed, coming up at 60kg average (a bit over 120 pounds); already gutted (no innards or eyes), this was pure meat, ready to be sold or auctioned off. And there was a warehouse full of these fish, lined up along the floor, being dragged along by hooks, getting sliced by the only tool capable: a band saw.
It was almost enough to make me rethink out breakfast plan, but not enough. So we ventured back out, entirely soaked, smelling a bit of the fish market, we found a beautiful sushi place, probably open 24 hours. We were there at 430 or so, the only Americans in the place. Two pieces each of tuna and two each of salmon. The most amazing fish I've ever had, fresh as anything, with wonderful green tea, got out for ¥840 total. And really enjoyed my time with Andrew. He's also 32, teaches in Indiana, loves to travel, especially being out and getting lost in new places. Great traveling buddy: we're both in the group going to Arao.
And then to back up: last night, totally tired, long long day...went out for pizza. Fantastic thin crust, ¥1000 yen each...not even coming close to the amount they've given us, which makes me really happy. Dinner was with Jenny and Andrew...both 32, our birthdays are in March, April, and May. Pretty amazing coincidence, eh? And we're all traveling to the same area.
Morning stuff is about to start, and I need to check through some photos for you, kind reader, so I can get them up to flickr.
I miss you all, wish you were here...
Peace,
Kippu
Met Andrew at the elevator (Jenny wussed out on us, which I thought Andrew would do instead) and we left at 3 for the fish market, or at least intended to. The first three cab drivers we spoke with didn't understand enough English to get us there, so we retreated to the warm dryness of the hotel - A to his room for a map, and me to the front desk to ask for help. We both got the info we needed, and headed out, this time successfully talking to a cab driver (relatively speaking - we did get there) and left the cab at 3:45. Then we started walking; through alleys, down streets, past lots of fish sellers and 24hr sushi restaurants, knowing we'd know the fish market when we arrived there. So we walked, and walked, and finally arrived at a bee-hive of activity, with men on standing motorized carts whipping by, certainly not about to slow for a couple of Americans. This place had to be a 6 or 7 acre processing facility, filled with people smartly wearing rubber galoshes, buzzing around, moving fish on palettes and in foam containers. And live fish: still swimming in small tanks, or eels in buckets being separated out. And dying fish: not dying in the tragic slow-and-painful sense, but rather with a knife cutting quickly and effectively through some artery just below the head. But it didn't always work: there was a particular tank of eels, all of whom were supposed to be dead, but one was turning, slowly, writhing even...he apparently hadn't gotten the message.
And then the tuna. This part was amazing: easily 3 or 4 feet long, being thrown out the back of trucks steaming with dry ice; more being slid than thrown out the back, landing on a tire laid flat, bouncing once into the pavement. They were frozen and white from condensation, being weighed, coming up at 60kg average (a bit over 120 pounds); already gutted (no innards or eyes), this was pure meat, ready to be sold or auctioned off. And there was a warehouse full of these fish, lined up along the floor, being dragged along by hooks, getting sliced by the only tool capable: a band saw.
It was almost enough to make me rethink out breakfast plan, but not enough. So we ventured back out, entirely soaked, smelling a bit of the fish market, we found a beautiful sushi place, probably open 24 hours. We were there at 430 or so, the only Americans in the place. Two pieces each of tuna and two each of salmon. The most amazing fish I've ever had, fresh as anything, with wonderful green tea, got out for ¥840 total. And really enjoyed my time with Andrew. He's also 32, teaches in Indiana, loves to travel, especially being out and getting lost in new places. Great traveling buddy: we're both in the group going to Arao.
And then to back up: last night, totally tired, long long day...went out for pizza. Fantastic thin crust, ¥1000 yen each...not even coming close to the amount they've given us, which makes me really happy. Dinner was with Jenny and Andrew...both 32, our birthdays are in March, April, and May. Pretty amazing coincidence, eh? And we're all traveling to the same area.
Morning stuff is about to start, and I need to check through some photos for you, kind reader, so I can get them up to flickr.
I miss you all, wish you were here...
Peace,
Kippu
posted by kip at 20:32
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