Got around going to the Tsukiji Market yesterday.
Arrived there at around 3:15 if I recall, the first group (60 people) was already full so I got into the second group,while the last person allowed in was a bit before 4 am, lots of people trying to get there past that hour, and a few trying to get the guards to allow them inside the action when the group was moving there (they were very clear to not allow any exceptions though).
To be quite honest, I didn't find the event interesting, you see a guy yelling a lot and some huge tunas and that's about it, one of the auctioners sounded like he was singing, which was interesting, but without understanding the language it's pretty impossible to even following the bidding process, I had no idea who was bidding on what or for how much.
Thankfully I had a good night with the people I went with, and I would say that made the venture worth it, if you plan out a night around the area with your friends and then stop by I guess it could be worth it (though still expect 2 hours waiting in a room with nothing to do), but otherwise I really wouldn't recommend doing there. I don't think it's worth the effort just to go there.
You also can't go to the actual market until 9 am, and the auction ends at 5:50 or 6:15 depending if you're the first or second group, thankfully there are a lot of Sushi places near the market, though they were all surprisingly expensive (I usually expect places near markets to be cheaper, but I guess this is a touristic attraction so they take advantage of it).
I did get to eat 498 yen tuna sushi, everyone else had full sets but I didn't feel capable of eating more than one piece of sushi (wasn't feeling too well), so figure I'd make it worth, plus I really have no plans to go back there. Thought it was pretty good, but that might have just been my brain justifying the price I paid for it
Also took off my bucket list drinking at a place under the train, where we found out that drunk Japanese guys are very sociable (too much so), and the chance of ruining Rammstein/Queen songs (among others) at a Karaoke.
Probably didn't help that I start having a panick attack at around 4-5 am and couldn't take my emergency medicine because I had been drinking (really not the type of medicine you can mix with alcohol), figures that would happen in one of the very rare occasions where I go out to drink.
So also had the fun experience of finding a doctor near by, was a bit surprised that the police didn't seem to know of any place without looking at a book (though I have to say it's really nice that they have a book with pictures and map, makes it a lot easier for me to figure out the location).
Same with the doctor and nurses when I asked for the direction of a hospital (doctor told me that I could take the medicine at that point since it had been 10+ hours since I had drank my last drink, but to go to a hospital if I didn't get better).
No one knew how to talk English before I got to the nurse/doctor, but thankfully I knew enough basic japanese (in conjunction with gestures) to give an overall view that I was feeling ill and some of the general symptoms so that I pointed me to the right direction of where to go
So I guess that soured my experience of the market as well.
Now time to go sleep some more!
That's annoying to hear.
Yeah, they even have it in english in several store "Adult Doujin", I just didn't bother to look at it at the time, though at this point I know most of the bigger stores well enough that I don't have to read the signs
Wish I'd find that game around Tokyo to try it, but not too big of a deal if I can't.
And yes, wandering around is part of the fun, it's one of the things I've been doing the most! Not going to stop that anytime soon.
