fish market

A new fish market, called Toyosu opened in Tokyo this week, replacing the famed Tsukiji market which had attracted locals and tourists for almost a century. Officials had been planning a new, more modern, and more hygienic market for several years, but recently health concerns had delayed its opening. The market was one of the most popular places in all of Tokyo, and the move has not been without controversy.

From my research, the reasons officials gave for moving the market seem a bit suspect. Although they claim that the old structure was unsanitary and potentially unsafe, moving it to the former location of a gas production plant seems potentially even more harmful. It took months to clean up the site and remove toxic chemicals in the ground. Several other articles have cited the high value of the real estate and the upcoming 2020 Olympics as real reasons that the market was moved. From my experience as an urban studies major and knowledge of the connection between the real estate market and local politics, this seems more plausible. I think it’s sad that the city pushed for the relocation of the market, especially against the will of the fishmongers, many of whom protested and demonstrated against the move. The article points out that the new facility is clean and state of the art, but detractors have called it sterile and overly organized, lacking the bustle and charm of the Tsukiji market. This story reminds me of the Kyoto University story we discussed two weeks ago. Instead of improving or renovating existing Tsukiji market, authorities seemed more interested in tearing down the market and relocating its vendors someplace else.