Yummy Deluxe Chirashi-don near Tsukiji Fish Market

We were pressed for time so we didn't get the opportunity to try Sushi-Dai as the lineup was a bit too long to wait but it's okay there are lots of other dining options in the area. The best bets are to go to places that have some lineup but not too long so you don't waste too much time just for a place to eat. Luckily after constantly browsing through the Tsukiji Fish market area we found a place! It's called Sushi Zan Mai. Yes it's not one of a kind as it has over 30+ locations in Tokyo but I want to primarily go to places that locals go to and a ton of locals eat here.

As you may or may not have noticed but the Bluefin Tuna is a highly prized fish in Japan and this place just so happened to have bought the most expensive Bluefin Tuna for 2014 which usually gives good fortunes for the year on the restaurant/owner that owns that title for the year and from the looks of it, they are doing pretty well this year based on the popularity of their many locations I passed by throughout Tokyo. It's not the very best cuts of fish but for the prices and quality presented to us, it's a pretty good deal.

For those that don't know what a Chirashi is, it's simple a bowl with rice at the bottom with various kinds of seasonal fish served on top.

Name: Sushi Zan Mai
Website: Click Here
Google Maps: Click Here

Where is the place to get your Chirashi fixing? Let me know!

Chefs hard at work

Miso Soup

Kanpachi and Abalone Sushi

Chirashi-don!

Tsukiji Fish Market!

The Tsukiji Fish Market in Japan is the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world but unfortunately access to the inner portion of the market is no longer allowed and only the outer portion of the market is available to visitors after 9:00am. Here you will get a glance of a lot of fish and seafood that you have never seen before let alone seen alive! It was quite the experience!

On your way to the front entrance of the market, there were lots of colorful and must I say hilarious cartoons to illustrate the Dos and Don'ts at the market.

If seafood was really that fresh of course I would like to purchase/sample them while I'm there and so I did just that! There was a huge scallop that was in a shell that I was not accustomed to seeing. I asked my local friend to ask them to open it up for me and clean it so I could eat it! It was sooo fresh!

Although I didn't get the opportunity to check out the infamous Tuna auctions which start at like 5am! I still got to see a lot of fresh Tunas on display in the outer areas of the market. This really was quite the experience and definitely worth a visit. Only thing I regret from this visit was to buy an authentic Japanese knife! I need one to slice my sashimi when I'm back in the USA. Next time I'll be back for it for sure! They also have some restaurants slightly outside the market where they serve the fresh fish and seafood from the market.The below pictures are just a tiny glimpse of what you can see here! Check it out!

Google Maps: Click Here!