Jet-lagged, we woke up early on the Monday before New Years.  My wife wanted to spend New Year’s with her sister, who usually spends New Years at her husband’s family.  However this year her husband had to work New Year’s eve and she had to work on the 2nd, so they’re to spend New Year’s at home.  (She’s a vet and her husband’s a zookeeper – the zookeeper’s the sticker parent…)  Since this rarely happens, my wife booked a last-minute flight to Tokyo.  After a couple of days in Tokyo, we’ll go to her sister’s place in Inuyama, near Nagoya, which may be tough since we haven’t yet booked bullet train tickets – during this period the bullet trains are 130% capacity with Tokyolites visiting families in the regional areas – standing room only in the non-reserved cars.

Not much is open at 4am and its dark till 7, so we decided to head over to Tsukiji Market.  The week before New Year’s is the busiest time at Tsukiji Market, with everyone getting ready for the New Year meals – and it was extremely busy with lots of trucks coming in and out, and everywhere they’re “tare” motorized carts zipping around – its not a safe place.

That’s one serious knife, hope he doesn’t cut himself.

Hungry, we stopped by the shopping arcade next to the market and picked up some rice balls – yum.

Prepping the knife sharpening stone.

Fresh wasabi.

That’s Tsukiji Hongan-ji Buddhist temple  in the background – its a unique temple build in a Hindu/Western style.

As the sun rose, we decided to walk to Tokyo Station. We would end up walking close to 50,000 steps that day.