For more than 80 years, Tsukiji was home to the biggest fish market in the world. In 2018 the wholesale market and its famous tuna auctions moved to a new site in Toyosu, and many visitors assumed Tsukiji was finished. It was not. The Tsukiji Outer Market (築地場外市場, Tsukiji Jogai Shijo) — the dense neighbourhood of shops and restaurants that grew up around the old market — stayed exactly where it was, and it is still one of the best places in Tokyo to eat seafood.
This guide explains when to visit Tsukiji Outer Market, what to eat, and the etiquette rules that local shop owners ask visitors to follow.
1. Tsukiji vs Toyosu: What Moved and What Stayed
| Tsukiji Outer Market | Toyosu Market | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Around 460 retail shops and restaurants | The wholesale market (fish and produce) that replaced the old inner market |
| Tuna auction | No | Yes — viewable from an observation deck |
| Atmosphere | Lively streets, street food, small counters | Modern, clean buildings with viewing corridors |
| Best for | Eating, snacking and shopping for kitchenware | Seeing the professional market at work early in the morning |
2. Opening Hours and Closed Days
Tsukiji is a working market that serves restaurant professionals first, so its rhythm is different from a typical tourist attraction.
- Early morning (around 5:00–9:00 AM): Mainly professional buyers. Many shops are open, but this is when chefs are shopping — stay out of their way.
- Best time for visitors (around 9:00 AM–1:00 PM): Most shops and food stalls are open and the atmosphere is at its liveliest.
- Afternoon: Shops begin closing from early afternoon. By mid-afternoon many stalls are shut.
- Closed days: Sundays, national holidays and many Wednesdays, in line with the market calendar. Individual shops set their own days off too.
Arriving on a Sunday or a market holiday means most shops will be closed. The official Tsukiji Outer Market website publishes a monthly business calendar — it takes thirty seconds to check and can save your morning.
3. What to Eat at Tsukiji Outer Market
Come hungry and plan to graze. Portions are small, so you can try many things in one visit.
Sweet, fluffy rolled omelette grilled in square pans and sold on sticks. Long-running shops such as Tsukiji Yamachou, founded in 1949, have queues in the morning.
Tuna rice bowls (maguro-don) topped with lean akami and fatty toro. Some stalls sell single pieces of grilled or seared tuna to eat on the spot.
Scallops grilled in their shells with butter and soy sauce, giant oysters, and skewers of prawns or squid cooked in front of you.
Several sushi counters open early in the morning. Eating sushi for breakfast is a classic Tsukiji experience — just be ready to wait.
Tsukiji has old-school ramen and Japanese curry counters that once fed market workers before dawn. Ideal if someone in your group does not eat raw fish.
Strawberry daifuku (mochi filled with a whole strawberry), seasonal fruit cups and Japanese-style sweets for dessert.
4. Market Etiquette: The Rules Locals Ask You to Follow
Tsukiji's alleys are narrow and still used by people working. The local association asks visitors to follow a few simple rules.
- Don't eat while walking. Eat your food at the shop where you bought it, or in designated eating spaces. This is the most important rule.
- Use the shop's bin. There are very few public rubbish bins in Japan. Return skewers and cups to the shop where you bought them. Read why Japan's streets are so clean.
- Don't touch the products. Never handle fresh fish or produce unless the shop invites you to.
- Ask before photographing. Shops and staff are working. Ask before taking close-up photos, and do not block the path while shooting.
- Keep groups small. Large groups block the alleys. Split up and meet later if you are travelling in a big group.
- Large luggage is a problem. Do not bring suitcases into the market. Use coin lockers at the station or a luggage forwarding service.
5. Beyond Food: Knives, Kitchenware and a Shrine
Japanese knives and kitchen tools
Tsukiji's shops sell professional kitchen knives, many of which offer name engraving in Japanese or English. They also stock cooking chopsticks, grater boards, bamboo tools and dried ingredients such as kombu kelp and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) — all excellent souvenirs for anyone who cooks.
Namiyoke Inari Shrine (波除稲荷神社)
At the edge of the market stands a small shrine whose name means "protection from waves". It is the market's guardian shrine and is known for its giant carved lion heads. It is a quiet place to finish your visit.
Knives must go in checked luggage, never in your carry-on bag. Check your home country's import rules before buying blades as gifts.
6. How to Get There and Plan Your Morning
- Tsukijishijo Station (Toei Oedo Line) — about 1 minute on foot.
- Tsukiji Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line) — about 1 minute on foot.
- Higashi-Ginza Station (Hibiya and Toei Asakusa lines) — a few minutes' walk.
- From Ginza — about 10–15 minutes on foot.
Suggested half-day plan: Arrive around 9:00 AM, eat tamagoyaki and grilled seafood, have a small sushi or tuna bowl, browse knives and kitchenware, visit Namiyoke Inari Shrine, then walk to Ginza or take a boat from nearby Hamarikyu Gardens to Asakusa. See our Asakusa guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The wholesale inner market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the Tsukiji Outer Market, with around 460 shops and restaurants, is open and busy most mornings except Sundays, national holidays and many Wednesdays.
No. The tuna auction now takes place at Toyosu Market, where visitors can watch from an observation area. Arrive very early in the morning if you want to see it.
Between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM on a weekday that is not a market holiday. Earlier is better for popular stalls; after early afternoon, many shops close.
Conclusion
Tsukiji Outer Market is proof that the best part of the old market never left. Check the business calendar, arrive in the morning with cash and an empty stomach, and eat at each stall rather than while walking. Follow the local etiquette and you will be welcomed into one of Tokyo's most delicious neighbourhoods.
Sources
- Tsukiji Outer Market official website: https://www.tsukiji.or.jp/english/
- GO TOKYO — Tsukiji Outer Market guide: https://www.gotokyo.org/en/story/guide/tsukijioutermarket/
- Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market — Toyosu Market: https://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/english/