I returned to the Toyosu Tuna Auction! Last time, I watched the auction from the visitor’s observation corridor on the second floor, but this time I was allowed to come down to the first floor, or the special observation deck, where the auction was taking place. I could watch the tunas just a few meters away.
(Note: Please view my previous post about the tuna auction for your information.)
https://japan-cultural-traditional-experience.com/so-impressive-the-tuna-auction-in-the-toyosu-market/
I was excited when I watched the auction in May; however, I envied people on the special deck on the first floor, imagining it must be more exciting and amazing. I wanted to see it again up close, so I applied for special permission from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to view the auction from the first-floor deck at Toyosu Market soon after I came home. I heard that obtaining approval could be challenging because many foreign visitors had also recently submitted applications. Therefore, it may have been a highly competitive process. In the end, I made it and enjoyed watching the auction right in front of me. I was so lucky!
The area near the special deck is just in front of the non-frozen, or fresh tuna, auction site. It was hard to watch the site when I had watched the auction from the visitors’ corridor on the second floor during my last visit. Half of the fresh tuna site is located under the corridor, and visitors have never had a clear view of the fresh tuna auction from the second floor.
But this time, I could see all the fresh tunas on the auction floor, their shiny skin and bright red cut tails. I could hear the live and vigorous shouts of the auctioneers and see the finger signs (bidding price indications) by buyers distinctly, and even smell the tuna because the top of the glass fence is open to the floor. I felt like I was in the middle of the tuna business, so fantastic!
Fresh Tuna is quite rare because it has never been frozen on the fishing ship and is kept in the fridge at just a bit higher temperature, 0.5 to 1.0 degrees Celsius, for a couple of weeks. Most of the frozen tuna is caught in bulk far from Japan, such as in the Indian Ocean and even off the coast of New York. The chef of the sushi bar, where I often savor his excellent sushi menu, said that only fresh tuna would offer the tender texture and deep flavor that we appreciate. (Photos/left: fresh, right: frozen)
Let’s watch the video of the auction. It’s amazing! I like this auctioneer’s unique gestures and movements. He is a little loopy, but energetic, in his efforts to sell tuna at a satisfactory price. I apologize that the explanation from the observation deck staff is so loud that you may not be able to hear the auctioneer’s bidding. Still, I am sure you can catch the lively vibe of the auction.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Office has appointed three auction companies to manage the auction, and the office also issues licenses to buyers, allowing them to participate in the auction. You can see the yellow plates on the front of the buyers’ caps. That’s the buyer’s license.
The color of the floor also has a reason. The green color was intentionally selected because it’s the complementary color to red, the color of blood and tuna meat, which makes the red color clearer and helps buyers judge tuna’s freshness and estimate its potential taste.
I was excited to watch the auction and was so busy taking photos and videos that the one-hour auction seemed to pass quickly, finishing in a flash. But, anyway, I guarantee you it’s worth experiencing. If you would like to join the tour of the auction floor viewing, please get in touch with me using the ‘Contact Me’ box below. I am willing to help you obtain the permission from the Tokyo Metropolitan Office. Let’s enjoy the real and live auction with me!
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