Food Blog by Ryu Aomi

One amazing thing about seafood in Japan is that it has its seasons. A lot of people, even local Japanese ask for tuna and salmon but these are usually farmed and prices and taste are controlled to be stable. But the real art of Tsukiji is that it follows its seasons. The majority of seafood that comes to the main Toyosu market is wild seasonal fish. From decades and centuries of eating seafood, the people here know when each seafood taste best and when it's more supply, which means lower cost. Eat seasonal Every Japanese would know about "旬"(shun) which means seasonal or best timing. For example, Aji horse mackerel is considered to be in its 旬 during June. June is a monsoon rainy season in Japan, so the rains cause nutrients to flow from the mountains into rivers and the ocean, increasing the number of plankton that feed on them. Aji and Iwashi sardines are two very popular fishes that get bigger and fatty, and we Japanese love the taste of them. Here is a list of fishes

I get asked often, "Are the fishes in Tsukiji caught today?" But I realized that the professionals working in Tsukiji hates this question, because it's a little silly. Many, even local Japanese think freshly caught fish taste better, but at least for sashimi or sushi it's better to let it sit or "age" for a few days. In this post I want to explain why fishes need to age in order to taste better. Fishes need to age for better taste. Ask any high end sushi chef which taste better: Freshly caught fish Fish that has gone through shinkeijime and left for several days There might be a few exceptions, but all chefs will say 2. Shinkeijime starts the umami enhancement process Shinkeijime 神経締め is a way to kill the fish with the least amount of stress (at the same time cutting off the nerves and draining the blood) The shinkeijime process is imortant as leaving the nerves results in rot. That's why the fish shipped to Tokyo go through this process on the fishing b

I've been working in Tsukiji for 4 months now from January 2024, and it's been so much learning and inspiration. For a foodie and cooking enthusiast like me Tsukiji has so many things to see, to eat, and to learn. Coming as a tourist you'll find food that is both traditional and trendy, it's a must visit spot when you're looking for good food in Tokyo. Lots of options scattered in one area. But working here is something a lot more, and I decided to share what I learned every month working here. The real reason Tsukiji is worth going Why is Tsukiji so famous? There are probably 2 main reasons: It has the most varieties of high quality seafood from across Japan The technique to make it taste better is in Tokyo Let me explain a little more about the 2 features. 1. Tsukiji is the Olympics of Seafood Tsukiji attracts the best seafood from across Japan, and nowadays even from the world. When fishermen catches fish, they send the best to Tokyo, (where there is money of cou

I’ve arrived and am working in Tsukiji!! It’s been about 2 weeks since I started working for Saito Suisan Fish Company. It’s located in central Tsukiji, the old fish market of Tokyo. Here hundreds of seafood come and go from Toyosu , our new fish market. Which fish makes the shelf all depends on the sea, so there will be a rare type of crab or fish one day then a different one might come the next day. It's not a factory. It all depends on the sea, the weather, the nature. History still here Tsukiji was a place for professional chefs to come buy their ingredients, mainly seafood. Due to aging the main building now moved to Toyosu, and Tsukiji is becoming more of a tourist spot selling seafood, wagyu, and desserts. But working here I still see professionals coming to find particular fish, or something different to put on their menu. Our side as a fish shop will be the conossieur to tell them how the seafood tastes and ideas how to cook them. We support the restaurants to keep the ing

 I’m going to be working in Tsukiji, the old central market of Tokyo starting January, 2024. I never really thought I would have this kind of opportunity, very happy and excited to work at one of the fish shops there. What really interests me is that a small incident led to Tsukiji. Incidents lead to actions, then leads to the next, then the next... So today I wanted to share what led myself to work in Tsukiji from staying in Bali. It all started in Bali I started to really think about working as a cook while I was in Bali. I was on a trip around Southeast Asia to figure out what I wanted to do post Covid. I want to start something in the streets of Bali!  My 1 month with the happiest locals I met in Bali I stayed with a local family in Bali via Airbnb, and the family would kindly invite me to the traditional ceremonies and feasts they frequently have while I was there. I realized myself engaged watching them slow cook their traditional food, the techniques and materials would actually