Crepes And Corks: Tsukiji Fish Market and Tokyo Sights

Hey All! I recently got back from an awesome few days in Tokyo. This was my first time in Japan and I fully enjoyed it. I can't wait to go back! Of course one of the main highlights was the amazing food I ate there, especially the sushi. But posts on that will be coming later. I first wanted to share with you all some general things we did in Tokyo and highlight the Tsukiji fish market. This is the largest fish market in the world with an infamous tuna auction that commences before sunrise. The local chefs all get first picks at the best tuna selection of the day. Unfortunately we didn't make it to the tuna auction because they limit the number of spectators and you have to line up starting at 3 AM. Instead, we went to visit the market around 7 AM and still got to see a lot of fresh seafood being sold. The stalls are interspersed with restaurants, some more famous than others. Some of these spots even have lines around the corner this early in the morning. We settled on one called Ohedo, without too long of a wait and each ordered a kaisendon bowl. It is not your typical Western breakfast but it includes your choice of seafood (we ordered two different kinds of tuna, and uni/sea urchin) on top of rice, served with miso soup, green tea and pickled radish. The quality of the tuna in Japan is so unbelievable that I was happily eating it for breakfast!

Overall, I highly recommend visiting Tokyo. We strolled through the gardens of the Imperial Palace, ate some local Japanese oysters, visited the Sensoji Temple, enjoyed some amazing sake, and ate way too much. We dined at three amazing restaurants, all of which we had to make reservations through our hotel concierge. They only accept local reservations, for whatever reason, which can make things a bit difficult. It was fun to see the expressions on people's faces when two young white girls walked into very local restaurants! Keep an eye out for these posts in the coming days. Enjoy!