Fish Market Japanese Features Japanese New Year's Traditions

Nagoya's "Tsukiji," Fsih Market

Yanagibashi Chuo Ichiba (Japanese: 柳橋中央市場, English: Yanagibashi Central Market) is equivalent to Tokyo's Tsukiji or Toyosu Fish Market.  

It is a bit smaller than the ones in Tokyo and not where live fish bidding can be seen, but Yangibashi Market attracts a lot of Nagoyans and tourists to buy really fresh fish and other items (e.g., fish cake) for very reasonable price.  

It is located near Nagoya Station (five-minute walk), with an easy access by Meitetsu, Kintetsu, and JR trains, and Nagoya City subway lines.  The Market is always crowded, as easily imagined, in the morning.  Especially 3 days before the New Year's holidays welcome a pack of people.  This is a year-end tradition for Japanese people shopping for good quality fish and meat for the upcoming New Year.  Surely, Yanagibashi Market is one of those which fulfill people's desires and needs.  

This morning, on December 30th, 2019, we went to the Market.  Even before 6 a.m., we saw people walking towards Nagoya Station, carrying heavy-looking plastic bags.  Inside the marketplace was already crowded when we reached its entrance at 6 a.m.  Within 30 minutes, the Market is literally packed as sardin in the box (neatly lined-up people waiting to be served).  The fish and beef we purchased there look sooooo delicious.  We cannot wait to eat them on New Year's gatherings.  

We would like to share some pictures to show what that Nagoya's Tsukiji looks like and what is available there.  

This is the entrance to Yanagibashi Market whose sign can be decorated with fish and vegetables.  They actually sell vegetables and fruit, along with fish and meat.

It is how it looked this morning, with a lot of people going into the Market.  It is very early in the morning, but some people come as early as 5 a.m, which is actually earlier than the first train coming into Nagoya Station.

The above picture was taken from the angle of store-owners.  The lady in the beige jacket was serving the customers.  The rectangular box (in the middle) is a refrigerator.

The above pictures also show how the shop-keepers and shoppers sell and buy stuff in the Market.  Some shops place polystyrene boxes on the floor in which fish and price tags are shown.

Some spacious shops have fish tanks.  Customers can place an order of fish swimming in the tanks. 

Sorry, it is too dark, right?  This is another entrance.  You can see bunch of wooden things lined up on the roof.  These are names of the shops in this Market.  

Here are some pictures of food shops inside the Market:

These shops serve visitors like us, as well as those who work in the Market.  

Noodle Shop

One serving of noodles (yellow noodles) costs700 yen or around 7 US dollars.  

Japanese Food Shop; 4 kinds of bowls over rice  

They sell 4 types of bowls over rice: 2 types of raw fish bowls and 2 types of Tenpura (English: deep-fried shrimp or fish) bowls, as the hanging paper signs say.  

Shop specializing in Miso-flavored Pork Guts 

This is actually a restaurant located just outside of the Market.  They specialize in chewy pork guts, which are pretty popular in Nagoya and Osaka.  Miso-flavored dishes are Nagoya's specialty.  

Here are some pictures we purchased:

Crab Meat in the Shells

The above shows crab meat, which can be eaten raw because it is so fresh.  Half of each shell is removed so that we never bother to remove it.  This costs around 5000 yen, or about 50 US dollars.  

Sea Urchin

Sea Urchin usually smells really fishy.  Once put into your mouth, the smell spreads all over your mouth.  However, really fresh Sea Urchin has a sweet flavor of sea.

Salmon

This Salmon looks really fresh with a lot of fat.  It weighs about 500 grams and cost only 1400 yen, around 14 US dollars.  

Yellowtail

This yellowtail weighs 650 grams and costs 1800 yen, around 18 US dollars.  

Here come famous Japanese brands of beef:

Matsusaka Beef

As shown in the yellow sticker (Japanese: 半額, English: half-priced), we could get this high quality Matsusaka Beef for  3900 yen, or around 39 US dollars.  Originally, it costs 2400 yen per 100 grams.  This beef is for Shabushabu.  

Hida-gyu Beef

Another brand beef called Hida-gyu Beef is from Gifu Prefecture, the north of Nagoya.  It costs 700 yen per 100 grams.  This beef is for Sukiyaki.  

To Japanese people, New Year is what Christmas is to Americans!!  Of course, they drink Sake (English: Japanese rice wine) to welcome the New Year.  

Without these high quality fish and meat, and good Sake, Japanese New Year's gatherings would probably be nothing!!  When you are around Nagoya, please pay a visit to this exciting Market.