Stalls inside the Tsukiji market are run by intermediate wholesalers who buy their goods at the early morning auctions at the market. To become an intermediate wholesaler, a person must have permission from the establishment authority.
(Jiefei Liu/MEDILL)

Hanasaki crabs (in the left box) are named after their place of origin, Hanasaki Port in Nemuro, the northeastern coastal city of Japan..Along with other crabs, they are sold live at the stands.(Jiefei Liu/MEDILL)

Pathways like this in the market are used by scooters, trucks, buyers, sellers and visitors every day. Not only are fish bought and sold in the market, but also vegetables and fruits.(Jiefei Liu/MEDILL)

Workers are collecting fish waste from different stalls and dumping them onto a truck.
(Jiefei Liu/MEDILL)

Tokyo Freezing Plant (the white building in the middle with black characters) is a cold storage plant owned by Tohto Suisan Co. Ltd. The company, mainly focusing on wholesale marine products, cold storage and real estate leasing, reported a 5.5 percent decline in net sales in the last 9 months of 2016. It faces challenges from an aging society and diet diversification in Japan, according the company’s website.(Jiefei Liu/MEDILL)

Sushizanmai is a popular a restaurant in the Tsukiji market. It serves fresh sashimi and sushi. The bowl in the picture is a tuna don, a bowl of rice topped with raw tuna.(Jiefei Liu/MEDILL)