TSUKIJI FISH MARKET, TOKYO

acrylic on canvaas and painted wooden frame, 46 x 50 inches

.......Rise at 4.47am. Wash and dress very quickly as we are going to Tsukiji fish market. Trains haven't started running yet so take a taxi to the main gate. The young man at hotel reception last night, whose father works there, warns us to be very careful of all the trucks and lorries and slippery pavements. He's right, it's hazardous trying to get through. But we make it into the enormous auction hanger where he'd said (and so did the guide book) we wouldn't be allowed. I try to be discrete, especially to start with, but became bolder and nobody stopped me. It's very exciting seeing the auctioneers ring their bells standing only eighteen inches higher on their small wooden stools, than the bidders. It's very fast with rather wonderful hand movements a bit like Noh theatre or tic-tac men at the races. The bidders examine the row upon row upon row of huge Tunas, white with a frosting of ice. The bidders have small scythe like hooks that they lift a flap near the tail are up with, often shining a torch in and rubbing the oils between their fingers. each of these vast fish has a number painted in red on its side and after the sale a man comes round with yellow stickers, presumably with the name of the purchaser. there are usually three or four auctions happening at the same time as the auctioneers move through the hall and receding rows of fish - the others are whisked away on hand carts or little open trucks with cylinder type engines which the driver stands behind; they manoeuvre these at great speed through the narrow alleys of the wholesale market to the appropriate stall or lorry. It's amazing to observe the rapidity with which they are then cut into portions and individual steaks, sometimes with band saws and other times with cleavers and very long sharp blades. This is the biggest fish market in the world and every possible sea creature seems to be displayed there or swimming around in tanks. It's frenetic with activity, restauranteurs and store owners carrying baskets. Moving onto the outskirts of the market there are related stores, some selling the knives and tools of the trade, others have already pre-packaged smaller fish and seaweed etc. Then there are the sushi bars where it's wonderful to sit whist they prepare the most amazing array of different fish with their rice fillings or seaweed wrappings. Not looking like the pre-packaged varieties in English supermarkets. They are beautifully arranged and added individually as they were made on palm leaves. Ours was accompanied with bowls of soup containing mussels in their shells and a big handleless mug of green tea. It's very filling and generous in proportion but I manage to eat all mine - even more than Richard!..............

FROM DIARY ENTRY FOR 2ND NOVEMBER 2004