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Volunteer
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Dateline: Tokyo, Japan Not everything we do while we are here in Japan is directly related to the XVIII Olympic Games. For example, several volunteers had an opportunity to escort a group of guests to tour the local fish market. The Tsukiji Fishmarket is the world's largest trading place for vegetables, fruit, meat, poultry and specializing in fish. As you may know, a lot of fish is eaten in Japan. We nicknamed it the sushi capital of the world. Regardless of whether it is imported from around the world or domestic to Japan, almost all the fish which Tokyo consumes finds its way through the Tsukiji Fishmarket. You name it and they have it: white fish, blow fish (this fish is very poisonous if not prepared properly) salmon, eel, whale meat. Japan is allowed to hunt a certain number of whales each year, as well as tuna, sharks and many shellfish. Most of us here in Japan are reasonably early risers. If you are not you become one quickly because we are still on U.S. time. When we were told to have our bags packed and ready to go by 4:30 a.m. we knew we were in for a long day. Surprisingly, that morning everyone showed up exactly on time to met the bus and our Japanese guide. As we approached the fishmarket, the smell of fish hovers noticeably in the air, but the irony was once we were inside among the thousands of people and the maze of shops there was no odor. The "Tsukiji" employs some 15,000 workers at its 1,200 shops, which covers an area of 50 acres. To put it in perspective, take the size of the vegetable stands at Quincy Market on a Saturday and multiply it by 10. We were amazed how fast the turnover of fresh fish was. The locals say most fish arriving on a Monday will be served in restaurants on Tuesday. We were also impressed by how clean the fish market actually was. The merchants are always hosing down the floors and cleaning their cutting area of fish guts. It’s a good idea to wear waterproof shoes. The highlight of this huge fish market is the wholesaler's tuna auction. Tuna is imported in a deep frozen condition from all around the world. In fact, tuna imported from Boston, Massachusetts is the most expensive to buy in Japan because of its high quality meat and freshness. $8,000 U.S. dollars will fetch you a 175-pound fish. The fishing companies auction whole tuna to the highest bidding wholesaler who inspects each fish literally from head to tail in great detail. The wholesaler later sells sections of the tuna to different restaurant buyers who will use it for sushi. The belly of the tuna can be compared to our prime rib steak and usually sold at a premium. Once the fish is sold, you had better watch out: at the auction the workers are constantly moving about seemingly with no sense of direction, using large rickshaws and fork trucks to move the tuna in order quickly in order for it to be the next fresh catch of the day. It was a nice opportunity to get away from the bustle of the Olympics and experience a small piece of Japanese culture. Then it was quickly back to reality and the life of a John Hancock Olympic Volunteer.
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