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Frozen Tuna Auction

Next door to the fresh tuna auction is the frozen tuna auction. Unlike the fresh tuna which is usually caught the previous day or two and hauled in immediately (Atlantic bluefish is sometimes flown in), frozen tuna is flash frozen to -60°C (-76°F) and can last several months in the hold of a fishing vessel. This means that the ship can leave for several weeks and bring back several tons of fish. The frozen tuna does not taste as good and brings lower prices at Tsukiji. However, about 80% of the tuna eaten in Japan comes from frozen sources.

 

This is a good shot of the middlemen inspecting the frozen fish. They are carrying flashlights as it's harder to inspect a frozen tuna. Again, only registered buyers have the caps with numbers on them. Anyone else is an assistant or voyeur.