Wielding a sword-long knife, fishmonger Motojiro Nakata halves a bluefin purchased at the morning auction. Thinly sliced and served with other raw delicacies as sashimi, the translucent flesh delights the eye as well as the palate. Japan's craving for such fare incites relentless fishing—and concerns about dwindling bluefin stocks.

— From "Tsukiji: The Great Tokyo Fish Market," November 1995, National Geographic magazine