My second day in Japan started bright and early as I met up with a co-worker and her sister (who both happened to be in Tokyo as well) for some Sushi at Sushi Dai in the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo…at 8am. The sad thing is, they opened up at 5am so we had to wait an additional two hours in line (believe it or not, some people actually show up at the crack of dawn to eat at this place), but being my second trip there, I was prepared for the wait, and they were patient enough to bare the line as well. In the end, everyone felt it was definitely worth it.

When you finally enter, the sushi chefs inside are genuinely excited to meet people and greet you with excitement  (unlike the half-hearted greetings you get at some sushi places), and a sushi nazi line woman (aka the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld could be her New York cousin) makes sure that everyone knows the drill and stands in a teacher-approved end of recess line-up outside the door before you go in.

Apparently more than 30% of the fish consumed in Japan pass through this fish market every morning…from crazy two ton tuna to razorneck clams, this place has it all. If you can bare the smell (and the sights) of gutted fish, it’s definitely a must do on a trip to Tokyo. I guess before, you used to be able to watch the live Tuna auctions in the morning, but I think they stopped it due to security issues in recent years.

Back to Sushi Dai: Being my second time there, I knew exactly what I wanted—of course, the Omakase Order (Chef’s Choice/Set Menu) of 11 delicately made pieces of delicately made sushi for $45, which includes buttery tuna toro, a surfclam that still moves on your plate, and the freshest sea urchin you’ll ever have, all created with careful attention and excellent presentation (check out the BRAIDED sushi)—a steal considering similar sets at Nobu would cost you quadruple that or more, not to mention all the fish they serve was caught just hours before that morning.  By far, this was definitely the best deal to be had in all of Tokyo. The Chefs open up shop at 5am, and then close down at 1pm, breakfast/lunch only.  It’s gonna be hard getting back to Hara sushi in West LA after this…

Even if fish isn’t your thing—there’s fish themed products as well around the marketplace, including this awesome fish-molded dessert filled with a sweet red-bean filling (think a Japanese twinkie shaped like a fish)., and endless stalls of udon and tempura as well.—just don’t come on a Sunday, when the whole marketplace turns into a ghost town on their day off.

After this morning excursion, I spent the afternoon checking off some of the neighborhoods I missed on my last trip to Tokyo, and ended up walking around Roppongi, which has some cool sights (and shopping, if you’re into that), including an observation tower where you can see the entire city from the 102^nd (or 103^rd?) floor.