Tokyo Reopens World's Largest Fish Market At New Location

Tokyo's Tsukiji wholesale fish market, the largest in the world, resumed operations at a new location in the city on Thursday, just days after it closed the door on an 83-year history.

The re-opening of the market was marked by a minor truck fire and early morning traffic jam. Despite the change in location, the ritual remained the same. A huge frozen whole tuna was laid out on the ground for its first auction at 5.30 a.m. local time Thursday (4.30 p.m. EDT Wednesday), and the market was filled the sound of bells and the shouts of traders.

Kiyoshi Kimura, who previously paid record prices for tuna at New Year auctions, said, "There we go. We're off.”

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, who was also at the site, said, "It might take some time to get used to at the site. Together, we would like to develop this as the core market of Tokyo, and Japan, and make the Toyosu brand better day by day,” Reuters reported.

The Tsukiji market, which had tens of thousands of visitors every year, had become dilapidated and unsanitary. It was closed Oct. 6 after relocation was delayed many times.

The new market has state-of-the-art refrigeration facilities and was nearly twice as big again as Tsukiji, which was already the world’s largest. However it is located around 2km to the east at Toyosu which was on the site of a former gas plant. In 2016, the soil and groundwater was found to be contaminated, forcing local authorities to spend millions of dollars to clean it up and pump out groundwater. This process delayed the relocation.

In July, the governor declared the site safe after experts signed off on additional clean-up measures. He insisted the new complex was safe and would provide a “cutting-edge” environment for the selling of fish.

“It’s not the same atmosphere as at Tsukiji. On a purely professional level, maybe Toyosu is better, but on a sentimental level, it’s Tsukiji. The head says yes, but the heart says no,” said Lionel Beccat, a Michelin-starred chef who has been going to the predawn auctions for years, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, the demolition work was due to start Wednesday at Tsukiji but a few dozen protesters broke through lines of city officials and forced their way back in to the old premises. They suggested keeping the Tsukiji site as an alternative in case of serious problems at Toyosu.

“We didn’t want it to come to this but we wanted to come here because it’s our right. We still have a commercial licence here. We have not given it up,” one fishmonger said.

The old site will be used for a transport depot for the 2020 Olympic Games before becoming a tourist center.