Monday, September 20, 2021

(2453) Tsukiji before Tsukiji

Nihon_arekore_02478_Nihonbashi_Uogashi_monument_100_cl

At Nihonbashi, next to the bridge, a monument most people overlook reminds that this is where Uogashi (魚河岸) Tokyo's central riverside fish market was until the great Kanto earthquake of 1923. After the devastation the market was moved to Tsukiji, it became world famous mostly (and unjustifiably) because of the tuna auctions and in 2018 it was moved to Toyosu where it remains until  today. The lady in the statue is Otohime (乙姫), the princess living in the bottom of the sea in the Ryugujo (龍宮城) castle of the dragon-sea god Ryujin (龍神) according to various Japanese myths --the most famous is that of Urashima Taro (浦島太郎). 

(For a bigger version of this picture both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore" set on Flickr).

0 comments: