There are few people, even Yokohama natives, who know that this is actually a wholesale market. That is because it is not open to the general public. So what kind of place is it?

Let’s think about how the fish we eat makes its way to our dining tables. First, the fishermen catch the fish, which are brought to the market. From there, the “oroshi” wholesalers receive the fish and the “nakaoroshi” brokers sell them. The process that follows is called “seri,” or an auction where the brokers who receive the unprocessed fish cut them into smaller pieces and sell them to dealers, supermarkets, and restaurants. There are 60 brokers located in this market – some specialize in tuna, some in dried fish, and some in frozen goods. The fish they process is what you purchase at your local shop to take home. If these markets were to close, there would be no fish to sell. The workers in these markets support the daily meals of the local people.