Enjoy Food While Touring the Yokohama City Central Wholesale Market
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Fresh fish from across Japan are brought to Yokohama City Central Wholesale Market. Visitors can watch the auction, sample products, or shop on the premises. This article introduces a special tour and main attractions at this fish market!
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Tokyo, Japan
Thrilling Auctions at Yokohama City Central Wholesale Market
While Yokohama City, located near Tokyo, boasts many sightseeing spots, such as Yokohama's Chinatown and the Minato Mirai area. However, many people may be unfamiliar with the fish market in the city.
This article features Yokohama City Central Wholesale Market, an attractive little-known spot, and its exploration tour.
The Facility
Fresh fish from worldwide are sent to Yokohama City Central Wholesale Market. Established in 1931, it is the third oldest market in Japan.
The market mainly serves eateries and fishmongers, with auctions held regularly. Delicacies such as tuna, crab, sea urchin, scallop, and salmon roe are also found here.
Location
The facility is near JR Yokohama Station, only an hour from Shibuya or Asakusa.
From the east gate of the station, it is a 20-minute walk to the market. In case of bad weather, take the bus departing from the west gate, which stops by the market.
Three Attractions on the Exploration Tour
While the market is usually not open to the public, participants on the exploration tour can take a look inside the facility.
Led by a guide, you can watch the animated auctions, sample fresh seafood, and shop at stores frequented by professional chefs.
An audio guide (English/Chinese) is available, so this tour is perfect for overseas visitors.
Tour Details
The tour starts at 5:00 from the warehouse where the mikoshi (portable shrine) is stored. You'll also spot the Inari Shrine on the grounds.
The second stop is the auction room, along with rooms where fish are processed. Participants can also enter the cold room and experience the temperature, which is minus 40 degrees Celsius.
The third stop is the fish broker's store. Visitors can sample fresh seafood and learn tips from professionals on how to enjoy the products.
The tour ends around 8:00 after shopping among other participants (*).
The following are three attractions of this tour.
*Please note that the itinerary may change according to the date.
1. The Live Atmosphere: Watching the Auction Up Close
One of the attractions allows participants to watch the auction at a close distance.
While other markets host tours, the auction is usually shown through a window. During this tour, members can hear the actual sound of the transactions.
This market has a unique event called okkake. Fish caught at nearby ports, such as Hiratsuka, are sometimes brought here immediately to be auctioned. This event is hosted irregularly, so only lucky participants can witness it!
Participants can also enter the cold room, where the temperature is a frigid minus 40 degrees Celsius.
2. Sampling Products with Tips from Professionals
During the tour, there will be comments from the guide and remarks from people working at the auction and broker's shops. Some topics, such as choosing and tasting seasonal products, can only be heard in this market.
Participants can touch the fish, watch how it is processed, and even sample the products. This is only possible at a market where fresh fish is abundant.
3. Shopping at Stores Not Open to the Public
Tour participants can shop at the broker's stores, which are usually closed to the public.
Stores handling fish, seasonings, seaweed, and meat, along with eateries, are lined up in this zone. Participants can purchase high-quality products at an affordable price.
There is also a tour that includes dinner served at a restaurant, with seafood purchased at the market. If you have the chance, try tasting the dishes cooked from products directly sold at the market.
How to Participate in the Tour
The tour can be booked via the website listed below. Please note that the deadline is seven days before the tour date.
Since the tour starts early in the morning, it might be wise to stay at a hotel close to the market. Those planning to go sightseeing in Tokyo or Yokohama should also check the booking site.
- Meeting Place: The Red-Roofed Guard Post at Yokohama City Central Wholesale Market
Address: Yokohama, Kanagawa, Yamanouchi-cho 1
- Meeting Time: 5:00 (The tour is scheduled to end around 8:00.)
- Fee: 5,000 yen after tax/person (The fee is the same for adults and children.)
- Application Deadline: Seven days before the date of the tour.
Sponsored by the Yokohama Central Wholesale Market
Written by
Tokyo, Japan
MATCHA's promotional account for corporate and local government advertising. We aim to provide useful information to our readers in an enjoyable manner.
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