Rambling among crates of raw fish, dawdling around with 450 types of freshly caught produce. It may seem an odd way to relax, but for James Gallagher, 46, the organized chaos of the Tsukiji Fish Market used to be a welcome respite during his lunch breaks at the advertising firm Dentsu in Tokyo.
It later became a way of life.
Now most days Gallagher rises at 5 a.m. for the long drive from the mountains to the sea, pursuing the freshest catch of the day. Headed for the fish markets in Sapporo and along Hokkaido's coast, Gallagher cast aside his business language for the more casual talk of local fishermen as the owner of Ezo Seafoods in the Niseko area.