Tsukiji is famous for its fish and seafood market. As we explore, we learn about how it was created 370 years ago through land reclamation and follow its evolution up to the present.
Today on "Dive in Tokyo," we explore Tsukiji!
The district is most famous for its markets.
It smells really good.
This is considered the soul food of Tokyo.
They have everything from fish and meat to cookware.
It's a paradise for food lovers.
We'll visit a Buddhist temple with a unique look.
Elsewhere...
This is the oldest church in Tokyo. A Catholic church.
The oldest church in Tokyo!
We'll also unearth the area's fascinating past.
This all used to be underwater.
This here?
Yes.
Join us as we discover the hidden history of the waterfront Tsukiji district.
"Dive in Tokyo"
Tsukiji - A Town Reclaimed from the Sea
Tsukiji is located on the eastern side of central Tokyo.
Sandwiched between the ritzy Ginza district and the Sumida River,
it's an area that's flourished for over 360 years.
We begin in the center of town.
Hi, it's Kailene.
Today, I've come to Tsukiji,
an area very famous for its markets and popular amongst tourists.
As a food illustrator,
I've come here quite a few times to find delicious foods to paint and eat.
However, I don't know much about Tsukiji's history.
What secrets does the area have to hold?
Come with me and find out.
Our first stop is the iconic Tsukiji Outer Market.
Wow, so many people!
It's become a must-visit destination
for domestic and international travelers alike.
Kailene leads us to one of her favorite local offerings.
It's a shop that sells "tamagoyaki" or Japanese-style omelets.
And they're super delicious.
And as you can see, super popular.
Let's go try some.
These customers are all lined up for freshly made tamagoyaki.
Founded in 1949, they specialize in wholesaling rolled omelets
to sushi bars and other restaurants.
About 15 years ago, they started selling omelet skewers.
Kailene even featured the dish in one of her watercolor illustrations.
So, here we go.
It's been a while since I had one and it's so good.
You can really taste the Japanese dashi, I mean, from the egg.
And being able to eat it outdoors is a unique experience.
It's just one of the many things to try along these bustling streets.
So why is it called the "outer" market?
Up until a few years ago,
it was next to Japan's largest wholesale fish market in terms of volume,
which boasted a total area roughly equal to five baseball fields.
Tsukiji Market opened in 1935.
It was moved here from the Nihonbashi district
after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake devastated Tokyo.
It wasn't long before fishmongers and other merchants
began setting up shop just outside the grounds,
which eventually grew into the Outer Market.
Due to aging facilities,
the wholesale market was moved to the Toyosu area in 2018.
There are currently plans to redevelop the former site.
Meanwhile, the Outer Market stayed, retaining its old name.
It continues to flourish
thanks to the ongoing patronage of food professionals as well as tourists.
But why was this location selected for the market in the first place?
Let's dig a little deeper.
We head to the other side of Sumida River to get a better perspective.
Now, we're going to go talk to somebody
who is a bit of an expert on the history of Tsukiji.
Hello!
Hello.
I'm Kailene.
Nice to meet you, I'm Jinnai.
Jinnai Hidenobu is a professor emeritus at Hosei University.
This spot on the opposing bank offers a view of all of Tsukiji.
I see.
This river and that land all used to be the sea.
This area?
Yes.
Tsukiji was created through land reclamation.
Today, it's home to high-rises and apartment buildings.
Edo, that is, old Tokyo, was built along the sea.
They reclaimed the shallows in order to expand the urban area.
They needed more land?
Exactly.
The population kept growing.
Over one million by the early 18th century.
They needed land for people to live on.
Historical maps confirm that the district was once part of the bay.
Tokyo is one the few major cities in the world
that grew significantly in size through land reclamation.
The area that became Tsukiji started to be filled in, in 1657.
Jinnai will show us some local features that speak to the area's past.
What a curious looking area down there.
I know what you mean.
So this was a waterway.
A canal used to run through there.
This part of Tokyo is the lowlands.
This area in particular had a network of canals. Kind of like Venice!
As land was reclaimed, many canals were constructed,
providing a way for goods to be transported into the city.
Tokyo's history is intertwined with the sea.
It learned how to harness it.
The sea, rivers, and canals allowed ships to come and go.
That, in turn, supported the economy.
All of that made old Tokyo a city of water.
In the early 1960s, the tide of urban development began to reshape the city.
Many of Tsukiji's canals were filled in and replaced by expressways,
or turned into public parks.
Along the area's southern edge
is another spot that offers a window into the past.
This is Hama-rikyu Gardens,
an expansive property that was handed down through generations of shogun
and later to the Imperial family.
Reclamation of this area started in 1654,
a few years earlier than Tsukiji proper.
Today, the grounds are open to the public and famous for the seasonal views.
I see more water up ahead!
Yes.
We're right by the bay. This used to be the sea.
I can smell the sea air!
Indeed.
Seawater flows in and out from over there with the tides.
Look at the stone wall there. You can see tide marks.
Yes.
Back in the days of old Tokyo,
there were many gardens featuring tidal ponds like this.
They allowed boats to travel further inland.
Old Tokyo was a city of water.
Even the gardens were designed with that in mind.
On the bayside of the garden are sluice gates used to regulate the water level.
At one time, there were other waterfront gardens with tidal ponds.
But today this is the only garden left in Tokyo that uses seawater.
Because the water level changes throughout the day,
the landscape is constantly changing.
It's part of what makes this garden beautiful.
Tsukiji was built over the sea,
and it became an area of mansions and gardens.
It's evolved very dynamically throughout its history.
I'm so curious to learn more about Tokyo and about Tsukiji!
Jinnai tells us there's a temple
that was the catalyst for the land reclamation.
We decide to check it out.
And, it's wild!
I've seen this from the outside before, but I've never been inside.
And I didn't really know what it was, but it appears to be a temple.
Let's check it out.
Tsukiji Hongwanji belongs to the Jodo Shinshu school of Buddhism.
But it looks quite different from most temples in Japan.
We're greeted by Higashimori Shonin, the deputy director general.
This was designed in an ancient Indian style.
I see.
Buddhism was founded in India by the Shakyamuni Buddha.
So this was modeled after ancient Indian architecture.
The main hall used to be a traditional wooden building.
But then it burned down in the Great Kanto Earthquake.
It was rebuilt in concrete, which was more quake and fire resistant.
It's a wonderful building.
Higashimori will show us the main worship hall.
I see stained glass.
Yes, these feature lotus flower motifs, a symbol of Buddhism.
Ah, right! But on stained glass!
Yes, it adds a touch of elegance.
Indeed.
So the Indian and Asian influences led to these artistic touches.
The interior is done in Japanese style.
It's a traditional design with a gold altar
where the Buddha statue is displayed.
This one-of-a-kind temple is a Tsukiji landmark.
But what does it have to do with the local history of land reclamation?
Over there is Tsukiji Outer Market.
I see it.
Hongwanji used to face that direction. That area was part of the temple.
That area there?
Yes.
The Outer Market area was originally part of the temple grounds.
Tsukiji Hongwanji was built after a major fire devastated the city in 1657.
It was the Great Fire of Meireki.
The temple burned down and couldn't be rebuilt in its original location.
So the shogunate provided this land.
Followers of the Jodo Shinshu school
living on a small island in the bay led the reclamation effort,
and the main worship hall was completed in 1680.
These very dedicated followers had civil engineering skills.
And they worked hard to reclaim the land for the temple.
The name Tsukiji literally means "reclaimed land."
At one time, there were as many as 58 branch temples on the grounds
in front of Tsukiji Hongwanji.
It's that area that would later become the Outer Market.
Meanwhile, mansions for feudal lords were built in the surrounding neighborhood.
Such a fascinating history to this place.
Yes, we invite visitors to come and see for themselves.
I'm devoted to making this temple
a place where people can feel at ease and calm their minds.
Between the early 17th and mid-19th centuries,
Japan was mostly closed to the outside world.
Then in 1853,
U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry arrived to compel Japan to open up.
That paved the way for big changes for the Tsukiji district.
Hello!
I'm Kailene.
I'm Oshima. Nice to meet you.
Oshima Fusataro has been researching the history of Tsukiji.
I understand this spot is historically significant.
Yes. This is Kyoryuchi-dori Street.
In 1869, this area was designated a residential area for foreigners.
Here in Tsukiji?
Yes. It was called the Tsukiji Foreign Settlement.
In 1858, Japan signed a series of treaties
that opened five Japanese ports to the West.
That led to the establishment of foreign settlements.
The Tsukiji Foreign Settlement in Tokyo
was open between 1869 and 1899.
For 30 years, it was home to people from over 13 countries,
including the U.S., Britain, France, and Germany.
The British and the Dutch were the first to open local consulates.
Other countries soon followed suit with similar offices.
Next, Christian missionaries opened churches,
as well as a number of schools.
This was the geographic center of the settlement.
I see.
There was a school for women here.
This photo... it doesn't look like Japan!
Right, the neighborhood had a distinct look.
In my mind, Tsukiji has a Japanese vibe.
But it was like a foreign country.
Exactly.
Several of the schools in the settlement
went on to become famous educational institutions that still exist today.
This is where Japanese children were exposed to Western culture.
It paved the way for the modernization of Japan.
Today these streetlights are electric, but back then they were gas.
Gas!
Yes. There were gas lamps all around the neighborhood.
Very classy!
This area was at the center of the modernization of Tokyo.
- Tsukiji.
- Yes.
One of the churches that were opened in the settlement remains active today.
I'm Kailene.
Pleased to meet you.
Pleased to meet you.
Good to see you.
And, this is the oldest church in Tokyo. A Catholic church.
The oldest church in Tokyo!
This location has been here for 150 years.
One hundred and fifty years!
The Tsukiji Catholic Church opened its doors in 1874.
The original structure was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
The chapel was rebuilt in 1927,
and has undergone renovations over the years.
There's a 150-year-old statue of St. Peter
that has survived disasters and air raids.
What is your impression of the time
when this was a place of foreign settlement?
It's a very fascinating little snippet of time in history.
Japan itself was opening up,
and to hear about the different people that came here.
And the Japanese came here
because they were interested in that whole new world.
And that integration between the two produced
so much interesting science and education and technology...
And music. And all kinds of stuff,
just because of this little interchange point right here.
It's a fascinating little history there.
Yeah, I mean, it's just a little tiny spot
where people can start to communicate with things
that are outside of their day-to-day experiences.
And Tokyo has changed so much over the last 100 years
but we're still here.
So, it's really nice.
Tsukiji served as a gateway to Western knowledge and culture.
That led to the growth of a range of local industries.
One example is the printing industry.
Our next stop is a company with roots going back to 1925.
Hello!
Hello.
I'm Kailene.
I'm Mizuno.
Mizuno Masao is chairman of this printing company.
He's turned an entire floor of the building into a museum.
From manual printing presses...
to cylinder seals dating back to 2200 B.C.,
to ancient papyrus fragments,
it's a treasure trove of printing history,
collected from around the world by Mizuno himself.
I was born here 85 years ago.
I'm 85.
You've seen the neighborhood evolve.
There used to be printing companies lining both sides of this street.
Tsukiji's first letterpress printing factory was opened in 1873.
During the local industry's post-World War II peak,
there were over 300 printing firms big and small here,
and even newspaper companies.
One of the museum's exhibits is the oldest surviving letterpress made in Japan.
It was manufactured here in Tsukiji around 1877.
Mizuno offers to let us test it out.
So place this...
into here...
Then...
Then close it.
Lay it down flat.
Is that it?
Now, the moment of truth!
Looks great!
Marvelous.
Marvelous!
The museum is a window into a different side of Tsukiji.
To round out our day, we head back to the Outer Market.
Hello, I'm Kailene.
Hi, I'm Yamazaki.
Yamazaki Yoshiko manages the Outer Market's general information center.
With the wholesale market being moved,
there were concerns about the Outer Market.
How are things going?
We were worried people would stop coming and shops would have to close.
But actually, the Outer Market is getting more visitors than ever.
Yamazaki takes us to a building along the edge of the market.
This is Tsukiji Uogashi.
It's a facility that was opened to give food professionals
a place to buy ingredients even after the old market was relocated.
Let me show you.
Close to 90% of the tenants are intermediate wholesalers.
While they cater to food professionals,
they're also open to the general public.
Most of them have been here since the days of the old Tsukiji Market.
They've chosen to continue operating here
in addition to at the new Toyosu Market.
Hello!
I hear your shop has a long history.
We've been in business a long time.
How long?
Before the market came to Tsukiji, it was in the Nihonbashi area.
That's how far we go back.
The shop is one of the oldest at the market.
Fishmonger Kadoi Naoya says they've been in business for five generations.
Are the shops in here on friendly terms?
Yeah, we get along well. That's Tsukiji.
If a customer asks for something we don't have,
instead of turning them away, we direct them to a seller that does.
You wouldn't do that if you were on bad terms!
We cooperate.
If we run out of something, we might call another seller up and get some more.
You've built up working relationships.
Yeah, that's Tsukiji for you. It's a friendly vibe.
The professionals here at the Outer Market
pride themselves in their history and quality of service.
This shop sells beans.
Beans!
I've never seen beans sold by weight like this.
So many varieties!
This shop was founded in 1948.
They've got crates filled with all kinds of dried beans.
Curiously, each price tag displays two values.
To cook beans professionals use pots based on a unit of volume called "sho."
These boxes hold one sho.
But many people aren't used to that.
So the orange price is per sho. The yellow price is per kilogram.
We deal in both.
Here's another kind of specialty store.
They've been selling kitchen utensils for over 70 years.
This is the pot we recommend.
This is a generic one. They're the same size.
The feel is completely different.
If the handle ever breaks on this one, we can replace it.
So the pot can last for 40, 50 years.
I didn't know pots could last so long!
They can. They do.
The shop offers maintenance services for their cookware.
They even have customers
who've been using the same pot for three generations.
Tsukiji is where the pros come to shop.
That's why non-professionals and international visitors come too.
Without our industry customers, we wouldn't have anything.
So we have to meet a professional standard.
Our products are expensive but durable,
and also repairable.
Customers know they're getting quality.
People who work in Tsukiji take pride in their trade.
And they have a love for this neighborhood.
So I think everyone here hopes to preserve the traditional vibe
while also creating a new Tsukiji that's right for the times.
That's our feeling as a community.
I hope you can continue to preserve the things that make Tsukiji great.
We'll do our best.
To me, Tsukiji has always been a place
to eat delicious fish and other street food,
however, I had no idea of the many evolutions
Tsukiji went through to become what it is today.
From starting out, literally, under the ocean,
to becoming a place of importance for religion,
for international communications, for education, for printing...
I'm excited to see
how this history continues to influence the Tsukiji of the future.
Come visit Tsukiji.