We pay a visit to the new market to find out if the restaurants from Tsukiji are still as good as they used to be. On 11 October, the world’s largest wholesale fish and seafood market opened for business at Toyosu after making the move from their 83-year-old location at Tsukiji, located roughly 2.3 kilometres (1.4 miles) away. While a large majority of media reports focused on issues concerning the fishmongers and the new wholesale operations at the facility, another group of tenants were also adjusting to the move, as some of the market’s famous restaurants were due to open their doors at the new complex as well. One of the most famous of these restaurants was Sushi Dai, often touted as the best place to enjoy fresh sushi in all of Tokyo. Our roving reporter Mr Sato, who’s dined at a number of Tsukiji sushi establishments in the past, decided to pay a visit to the new complex to see how the new restaurants were faring with the move. When he arrived, he found that the restaurants were now split up over three different areas at Toyosu: Four were in the Fruit and Vegetable Market building, 13 in the Management Offices building, and 22 in the Fish Intermediate Wholesale Market building. Well-known restaurants like Senrikan and Sushi Dai are now located in the Intermediate Wholesale Market building, so Mr Sato made a beeline for this area to see what it was like. When he arrived, he saw that, as always, Sushi Dai had a long line of customers waiting outside it. Unlike the old Tsukiji location, though, where people had to stand in line before entering, the restaurant now had small round stools for customers to use. It’s busy here, so if you’re planning on getting in, be sure to get in early in the morning. By 11 a.m., when this photo was taken, Sushi Dai had already stopped receiving customers for the day. As Mr Sato walked around the complex, looking for another place to dine at, he noticed something very different about Toyosu — all restaurants, and the facility itself, is now non-smoking. However, smokers are still catered for with special enclosed smoking rooms. As an area that caters to fishmongers and customers alike, there’s more to eat than just fish here, and one of the most famous restaurants you’ll come across is Nakaei, which serves up delicious curry meals. Seeing as he’d missed out on getting into Sushi Dai, Mr Sato decided to fill his belly with curry instead, and despite the restaurant being full when he arrived, it wasn’t long before he was shown to a seat and given a menu. ▼ Menu options include Indian and Japanese style curries, as well as an option for beef stew. And if you’re extra hungry, the restaurant offers an extra serving of shredded cabbage for 50 yen (US$0.45), an extra serving of curry roux for 100 yen, and an extra spicy option for 100 yen. And they also have an unusual miso soup with egg for 100 yen. Mr Sato ordered one of the restaurant’s most famous dishes, the Aigake Curry, which allows you to choose two curries from a choice of Indian curry, Japanese beef curry, or Hayashi Rice beef stew. Mr Sato opted for the Indian and Hayashi Rice, which was delivered within ten minutes of making his order. For Mr Sato, this dish was reminiscent of a Showa-era (1926-1989) meal, with its Japanese-style western flavours and rice intertwined with cabbage in every bite. Our reporter was pleased to find that the warming flavours of the Showa period can still be enjoyed at Toyosu, even as the Heisei era is set to come to a close when the current Emperor abdicates the throne next year. Whether or not your palate is fine-tuned enough to discern the nuances of period cooking, the curry selections here are definitely worth trying, and Mr Sato also recommends ordering a cup of their egg miso soup as well. The soft flakes of warmed egg create a smooth and creamy texture, with the umami of the miso giving way to a peppery kick at the end. And because it was something he’d always done before at Tsukiji, Mr Sato decided to end his meal with a visit to Iwata, a coffee house that’s been serving cups of Joe to fishmongers and their customers for decades. Much newer than their previous store at Tsukiji, Iwata still served up the same great coffee that Mr Sato had always enjoyed, and when he recognised that the waitress had also worked at Tsukiji, he struck up a conversation with her and asked how she was finding the new store. She said it was bigger, but more tiring because their Tsukiji location only had one long counter, whereas this space now has more seating. Mr Sato then turned to the elderly couple next to him, to ask them what they thought about the new cafe. They told him that they loved it and hoped others would too, with their wish being to help fishmongers and establishments in the complex flourish in future. With these true Tokyo locals frankly telling him their feelings, he once again felt a true sense of Showa-era nostalgia and knew that the real spirit of Tsukiji would live on, in spite of the market’s new shiny surroundings. It was the perfect way to end his time at the new Toyosu market, and Mr Sato wholeheartedly recommends everyone pay it a visit. The market may have changed location, but the people who made it what it was are still here, keeping old traditions alive like so many generations did before them. Photos © SoraNews24<doc-sep>Toyosu is located on the site of a former gas plant and the soil was found to be contaminated, forcing local authorities to spend millions of dollars to clean it up and delaying the move<doc-sep>We stop by to taste the continuing tradition and take a sneak peek at the replacement for the world-famous Tsukiji market. Last Saturday, the Inner Market of Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market shut down. It was a sad day for anyone who loves sushi and sashimi…and also for fans of beef bowls. The Inner Market was also the location of the oldest Yoshinoya branch in Japan, which had been in operation since 1926. We stopped by for one last gyudon (as beef bowls are called in Japanese) before the restaurant shut down, and it was a bittersweet, though delicious, experience. But time marches on, and on October 11 Tokyo’s brand-new Toyosu fish market opened. While the market won’t be accessible to the general public until October 13, we stopped by on the first business-to-business day to take a look at Japan’s new premiere entry point for seafood of all kinds. ▼ Toyosu market The Toyosu market is further east from the city center than its Tsukiji predecessor was, and getting to it required us to hop on the Yurikamome, the automated monorail that runs from downtown across part of Tokyo Bay. The nearest stop to the market is Ichibamae, which means, appropriately enough “in front of the market.” ▼ Ichibamae Station (red circle) and Toyosu market (blue circle) After heading out of the station’s north exit, it’s a short walk to the market’s entrance, with an elevated walkway taking you straight to the gate. The market has an astounding 408,000 square meters (4.39 million square feet) of floor space, with separate sections for wholesale and consumer seafood sales, as well as a fruit and vegetable market and administrative offices. The third floor also has an “observation gallery” which allows visitors to look in on the wholesale market without getting in the way of merchants and auctioneers, which was a source of tension at the Tsukiji site. Just inside one of the wholesale building’s entrances, however, is a row of restaurants that’s open to the public as well as market workers. ▼ Restaurant area entrance ▼ Red box showing restaurant area location Many of these restaurants are relocated eateries that used to be located inside Tsukiji’s Inner Market. As we poked our heads inside to see who’d made the move, we spotted a familiar sight. Flanked by two floral displays was the orange-and-white noren awning of Yoshinoya Branch #1, welcoming diners just as it dd for decades in Tsukiji. In a case of history repeating itself, Yoshinoya Branch #1 has followed the fish merchants from Tsukiji to Toyosu, just like how it moved from its original location at the Nihonbashi fish market to the then-new Tsukiji market in 1926. We were a little sad that the Yoshinoya Branch #1 staff didn’t mention they were moving to Toyosu when we stopped by the Tsukiji restaurant the day before it closed down, but we were happy to see them all the same, and they told us they brought not only the noren, but also several other parts of the restaurant with them to their new spot. Unfortunately, while the old Tsukiji Yoshinoya was the one and only branch that allowed you to order your beef bowl with the beef on the bottom and the rice on top, that carnivorous treasure hunt configuration is no longer on offer. You can still ask for your beef bowl as “negi daku,” though, which gives you an extra-generous portion of stewed onions and was also a signature dish of the Tsuikiji Inner Market branch. Some might think it’s a little strange to go all the way to a fish market to eat a beef bowl, but really, it’s the market workers who will probably make up this branch’s most loyal customers. It’s only natural to want a temporary escape from work while you eat lunch, and if you’re surrounded by fish all day while taking care of your professional responsibilities, you’ll probably find yourself craving beef now and again. So for all the fish vendors who’d gotten used to the option of a tasty and mentally refreshing beef bowl for lunch, we’re glad that Yoshinoya Branch #1 has reopened its doors at Toyosu and is keeping the tradition alive. Yoshinoya (Toyosu Market branch) / 吉野家（豊洲市場店） Address: Tokyo-to, Koto-ku, Toyosu 6-5-1, Suisan Nakaoroshi Ichiba Building 6, 3rd floor, stall 11 東京都江東区豊洲6-5-1 水産仲卸市場棟6街区3階11号 Open 5 a.m.-1 p.m. Photos ©SoraNews24 [ Read in Japanese ]<doc-sep>Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market, the largest seafood market in the world, closed last week after eight decades of operation. Hosting tens of thousands of merchants, buyers and tourists, the chaotic Tsukiji was an icon of fast-moving, food-obsessed Tokyo. While the stalls and restaurants in the “outer market” will remain accessible, most of the major business has moved to Toyosu market, a brand new 407,000 square foot facility a few kilometers away. Some die-hards aren’t thrilled with the new digs, for both nostalgic and practical reasons. Sellers worry the new location will result in a drop-off of business. Some are concerned about potential pollution at the new site, which used to host a gas plant. Environmental safety tests over the last year showed highly elevated levels of benzine in the groundwater. As recently as last month, some sellers were still filing lawsuits to delay the move. For others, the move to the gleaming, modern Toyosu is a blow to Japan’s culinary soul. ”On a purely professional level, maybe Toyosu is better, but on a sentimental level, it’s Tsukiji … the head says yes, but the heart says no,” Lionel Beccat, a Tokyo-based chef, told AFP. Tokyo fishmonger Toshitaka Moria put it more succinctly to the New York Times (paywall): “Dirty is best.” The most iconic sight at the late Tsukiji, the early morning tuna auction, resumed at Toyosu yesterday, as crowds of discerning fish buyers sized up the day’s offering. The ritual is traditionally a major draw for lines of bleary-eyed tourists, but few were in sight at Toyosu. The new market is still letting tourists view the tuna auction, but from the separate observation deck. Photos of the first auction show fish buyers picking up right where they left off. Sizing up the catch AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko A prospective buyer looks at frozen tunas. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko A prospective buyer inspects tunas before bidding. Reuters/Issei Kato A wholesaler checks the quality of frozen tuna. Getting down to business Reuters/Issei Kato An auctioneer gestures during one of the the first tuna auctions on the opening day of the new Toyosu fish market. Reuters/Issei Kato Tourists won’t be able to get a ground level view of the proceedings, instead they can watch from an observation deck above the market. The first tuna auction underway at Toyosu. Reuters/Issei Kato Wholesalers carry tuna after the first tuna auctions on the opening day of the new Toyosu fish market. The rest of Toyosu springs to life AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko Toyosu coming to life on its opening day. Reuters/Issei Kato Wholesalers take part in an auction at the greengrocery area on the opening day of the new Toyosu market. Reuters/Issei Kato A man makes a bid at a fruit and vegetable auction. A fishmonger cuts tuna meat at a wholesalers’ area. Auctioneers take part in a wasabi auction.<doc-sep>
Tokyo (CNN) — After two years of delays and uncertainty, the Toyosu fish market in Tokyo finally opened its doors on October 11 at the stroke of midnight. Toyosu replaces Tokyo's famous Tsukiji market, a popular tourist destination that closed on October 6 following 83 years of operations. Related content End of an era as Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market closes The new Toyosu market covers 407,000 square meters -- making it 1.8 times larger than Tsukiji, which contained the world's largest fish and seafood market. The relocation from Tsukiji took just four days, a remarkable feat considering the old market was home to more than 600 seafood and vegetable traders. With the move, Toyosu inherits one of the most lucrative fish trading operations in the world, worth an estimated $3.8 billion a year. Catering to the kitchens of Japan's capital and beyond, the market trades more than 2,800 tons of fish and vegetables per day, worth about 2 billion yen ($17.8 million). The most expensive fish to hit the block on opening day was a 214-kilogram bluefin tuna from Aomori prefecture, auctioned off for 4.28 million yen ($38,000). "Today's a fresh start for us," said Hiromi Amino, CEO of a major Toyosu market wholesaler. "We will unite to develop this market and earn the clients' trust. At the end of the day, we would like to build the brand of Toyosu to go beyond Tsukiji for the next century." Two years of controversy Frozen tuna on display for the first auction at the new Toyosu fish market. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images The move to the new Toyosu market was controversial. It was originally supposed to open up in 2016, but was delayed for various reasons, including worries over contaminated soil. The spot where the market was being constructed used to house a gas production plant, and it appeared the ground beneath had absorbed chemicals from this factory. Following a campaign to clean it up, experts declared the area safe for use this past summer. But still many opposed the move, leading to protests and a legal suit aimed at blocking the relocation. A new brand for Tokyo A wasabi vendor at the new Toyosu market. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images Now that the move has happened, the Tokyo government hopes Toyosu will too become a destination for visitors looking to learn about Japan's culinary affluence. "Today we will begin to create a new brand -- Toyosu," said Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike during a speech to reporters and traders at the new market. "The power and thrust of the Tsukiji brand was built in 83 years. Let's start with a clean slate to create it step by step. I am certain that your work and contributions will grow Toyosu market as Tokyo's central market. "The market environment has changed from the old open site to a new closed and controlled environment. We would like to promote this market as the global standard." Visiting Toyosu Tuna is laid out in front of a fish brokage shop at the new Toyosu fish market. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images For Tokyo visitors hoping to experience the new Toyosu market, the closest subway station is Shijo-mae Station, located on the Yurikamome Line (the station actually connects directly to the market, so don't worry about getting lost). It's only two stops from Toyosu Station, which also can be accessed via the Yurakucho Line. The market is the only real draw near this station, though Toyosu has a variety of restaurants and shopping centers worth exploring, while the Yurikamonme Line leads to Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. For those aiming to get to the Toyosu market before sunrise, find a hotel in Toyosu or Odaiba. As we tour the city's top sites, locals share what makes Tokyo one of the greatest cities in the world. Video by Black Buddha Entry into the Toyosu market is free for all visitors, with those hoping to see the space at its liveliest advised to get there before 8 a.m. The famous early morning tuna auctions begin at 4:30 a.m. daily. But unlike at Tsukiji market, Toyosu's auction is held separate from the general public. Fresh and frozen tuna are auctioned on the ground level, while tourists and spectators are only allowed to watch from a viewing platform on the second floor. Whereas at Tsukiji you had to get a reservation ticket, all you have to do now is show up and try to get a good spot.