Day 3

Today we were finally awake before the Tokyo sun, getting up at 4:00 to bus to our first plant tour. We went to Tsukiji, a fresh fish warehouse. The market opens so early because the fish move out of the tanks and onto Tokyo’s dinner plates by the evening.

We toured Tsukiji from 5:00 until 7:40. Throughout the night, fresh fish arrived from the various suppliers and were organized by the workers. The suppliers are in charge of the inbound shipping process. The warehouse is open 24/7 to accommodate the high volumes that move in and out each and every day. Around the time when we toured, wholesalers that purchase the fish from the warehouse were wandering around the floor, examining the fish and taking notes on lot numbers. The process then goes to auction, where sellers and buyers haggle over price. Once the fish are sold, the buyers are in charge of shipping the goods back to wherever they would like them, whether restaurants or reselling to the public.

The number one product of the warehouse is fresh tuna. The tuna is flown in from boats around the world, and is auctioned off fresh. The individual fish can weigh up to 500 lbs after being dressed and cleaned. On average days, 1,200 tuna will be sold every day, and during peak season up to 3,000 tuna can be sold. The tuna can sell for as high as $60,000 per fish.

(The Tuna Auction)

After the tour ended, we grabbed breakfast. Mine consisted of McDonalds, mainly because it is so much cheaper than many of the other locations in Tokyo. I was able to eat for less than five dollars, compared to some sushi restaurants that were offering a thirty dollar breakfast.

Once breakfast was eaten, the group moved to the Isogo Frozen Food Company by bus. Isogo is in the downstream supply chain of Tsukiji. The tuna that wholesalers buy in Tsukiji can be processed there. The warehouse was 35 years old, but it represented the first cold storage unit that used LNG (liquid natural gas) technology. This technology is important in Japan because Japan does not possess high amounts of natural resources. Natural gas is cooled in places like Saudi Arabia or Iran to the point that it turns into liquid. It is then shipped to Japan, where Isogo has a partnership with Tokyo Gas, an electric company. The LNG is heated in the factory, and the cold air is used to cool the fish being stored while the gas vapor is used by Tokyo Gas to create energy.

(Tuna Frozen at -60 Celsius)

This technique, while it saves money, also demonstrates how environmentally conscious the Japanese are. There are very few emissions from this technique, because the cold air is derived from this chilled liquid. We were also able to observe the fishing methods used to catch tuna by Japanese ships, which are much more environmentally friendly and sustainable than those used by American fishing boats. The Japanese ships use extremely long lines with hooks on them that will only catch the mature, large tuna, while in America boats spread circular nets and haul in everything that falls within them, catching some small tuna in the process. I could tell during the tour that the Japanese are hoping that someday everyone will use these fishing methods to preserve both the ecosystem and the tuna supply for future generations. Also, the warehouse at Tsukiji is attempting to relocate but cannot because of environmental concerns put in place by the government.

Our tour ended at 1:00, and it took an hour to bus back to our hotel. Everyone in the group was exhausted, and many napped for several hours. Tonight the plan is to check out Roppongi, a popular subsection of Tokyo. The entire group is going, and it will hopefully be a fun time. First we must find a way to get there and get back, since it is close to forty miles from our hotel. Logistics at work!