Originally, I planned on not going to the tuna auction since I would have to wake up at 2 am and start lining up for three hours to get in. But since the two friends I met earlier in the hostel planned on going, I decided to tag along. Moreover, the tuna auction is only a 2-minute walk away.
After we got on the line, we began talking to the family in front of us. They actually came two days ago to the auction but since it was filled up already, they missed it. Today they woke up earlier and took the taxi here. Our numbers were in the thirties when we passed through the door. Only 60 people, two groups of 30, are allowed into the auction each day so people had to get up early and start lining up before dawn break. We weren’t given vests and were directed to wait inside for another three hours. The room wasn’t completely full until around 3:30 am.
I believe this is the most outrageous thing I’ve ever done so far: waking up at 2 am to wait for three hours and see a less than half an hour tuna auction. Outrageous but worth it --- I don’t know where I would ever see this scene again.
Once it was time, we had to travel awhile into a huge chilly storage room where rows of tuna were laid out as many men walked around inspecting the fish. The auction finally began in the last five to six minutes. A man holding a notepad with a pen in his hand began chanting/singing (auctioning off) as the men bid.
Tourists took photos and videos uncontrollably as the tuna were auctioned off. I overheard a few Americans remark how insane the crowd is attempting to capture that one perfect memory.
Once the man stopped singing, the auction has ended for the first group of tourists. The three of us were hungry by the time we were out from the auction so we traversed through the streets looking for something good to feast on. We finally decided on this shop that offered a menu selection of bowls served with rice and an assortment of seafood.
The food was decent but since I usually don’t eat early in the morning I took only two bites and asked for it to go with the minimal Japanese that I still retained from the two years of Japanese I took in college.
Next and final stop: Lake Kawaguchiko
We walked around the streets for a while browsing at the goods stores had to offer before finally heading back to the hostel. All of us were exhausted so we dozed off immediately. I woke up around 9:30 am and decided to go with my original plan, which was to travel to Lake Kawaguchiko by the express bus.
I wanted to see Mount Fiji from afar but I knew from the weather forecast that I probably won’t have the chance to. Still, I wanted to travel to a part of Japan that’s not the city. I couldn’t reserve a bus ticket on my phone so I was put on the waiting list for the bus at 11am but I was able to reserve my ticket back. Luckily, I got a seat and my journey to the lake began.
Lake Kawaguchiko is a very gigantic place --- I suggest spending at least two days here. I wished I did that because there were so much to see in the mere one day I allocated to this scenic area. I bought an all-day travel pass so I took the shuttle bus to the observatory where Mount Fiji can usually be spotted. I met two new friends who asked if I could help take their photo on a Polaroid. In return, I asked if they could help take mine. We began chatting as we walked out from the garden. They studied in a college in Nebraska; one is from Tokyo while the other is from Thailand and is visiting Tokyo with her family. They told me about the lava and ice caves and I really wanted to go but I didn’t have enough time.
Instead I went to the gem museum and scent museum before heading back to the first stop.
I encountered terrible delay on my ride back to the city that I had to cancel my dinner plans with my friend Meg from Brandeis. I felt extremely guilty for making her wait and not being able to meet up in the end. We decided to meet up for brunch the next day instead, which I promised that I wouldn’t be late again. By the time I got back to the hostel, everyone was asleep so I ate the food I ordered in the morning outside to avoid waking everyone up before going to sleep myself.
If I had stayed longer, I would have went to an onsen (Japanese hot spring), see the lava and ice cave, and perhaps even be able to see Mount Fiji.
