Written by Greg Lane
There’s something fishy in the air. You’ve arrived at Tsukiji Outer Market.
This bustling open air market is high on the list of top Tokyo attractions, and there’s something for everyone — not just the seafood-lovers.
Pro tip: Joining a tour is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of Tsukiji Outer Market — especially if you’re into food history. Tour guides often have local insights, and of course, plenty of food recommendations. There are plenty of options to choose from as well, such as this Tsukiji food and walking tour (¥14,875). Another great option is this half-day tour (¥13,000).
What is Tsukiji Market famous for?
In short, fish.
Once upon a time, Tsukiji Market had two parts — the ‘Inner Market’ and the ‘Outer Market’. The Inner Market was home to a wholesale fish market that held the title for the largest market of its kind on the entire planet. It also held the incredibly famous tuna auction each morning, drawing tourists from around the world. The Outer Market, meanwhile, gained a reputation for the high quality seafood restaurants which sprang up alongside a wide variety of other shops in the area.
In 2018 the Inner Market wholesalers moved to the new Toyosu Fish Market.
But many of the Outer Market vendors stayed in Tsukiji, and based on our last visit to the market in 2026, we can confirm that the food is still excellent and it’s worth visiting if only for the lively market atmopshere.
Is the quality any different? No. Many shops had long-established relationships with the wholesale market sellers who have moved to the new Toyosu Market, so now the Outer Market vendors make their way over to Toyosu every morning to buy the same fresh products they always have.
Pro tip: If you’re really into fish markets, this Toyosu and Tsukiji combined tour is worth checking out (¥14,000, food not included).
What is Tsukiji Outer Market like?
Tsukiji Market is full of character. Nearly a century old in its current form, it is a little ramshackle and lived in, but in an endearing way.
Is Tsukiki Outer Market authentic?
You may be wondering — is Tsukiji Outer Market a tourist trap?
Admittedly, it does have some tourist-oriented shops, but far fewer than Nakamise or Ameyokochō.
Rather, Tsukiji is a real, functioning market that locals visit to stock up on goods. In fact, to help ease congestion and ensure regular customers can complete their shopping, each year the local council requests travelers to consider visiting outside late December when the market is at its busiest.
You won’t find many cheap and tacky souvenirs on sale. There’s also little to no haggling culture. After hearing about the products and the shop — and often, trying a sample — you’re free to be on your way.
The market area takes up a few blocks, but there are two streets that are by far busier than the others — Tsukiji Nishi-dōri and Tsukiji Naka-dōri.
Whether you arrive via Tsukiji Station or Tsukijishijo Station, these two streets are the first you’ll encounter. They run parallel to the big main road (Shin-Ohashi-dōri), and the further you go from there the quieter it will get.
We recommend exploring the quieter streets too — there are small shops and restaurants tucked in the alleys.
As the market is patronized by locals, be very careful when taking photos and videos. Don’t touch produce you’re not going to buy and avoid eating while walking — only eat in the designated areas.
Pro tip: You can visit the new Toyosu Fish Market and the historic Tsukiji Market on the same day. We recommend seeing the tuna auction at Toyosu in the early morning and then moving onto Tsukiji for a fresh seafood breakfast and some shopping. See how in our Toyosu Market guide (simply scroll to the end).
What is there to see and do at Tsukiji Outer Market?
Eat.
Seriously, Tsukiji Market offers a colorful variety of freshly sliced sashimi, dried seaweed and fresh fruit and vegetables. In our opinion, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t try at least something here.
Our top recommendation, though, is to take it slow.
There are plenty of shops and different cuisines to choose from, but your stomach can only fit so much. The market isn’t huge, so take a wonder from one end to the other first. Then on your way back grab yourself some grub at the places that stood out to you.
Also, give yourself a bit of time to shop.
While it’s probably better to leave the buying of ingredients to the pros and locals, you can still pick up some great souvenirs — especially if you’re a home cook. There are shops selling high-quality Japaneses knives and kitchen utensils. There are also ingredients you might struggle to source affordably, like shaved bonito flakes, dried fish, and dashi broth packs. In other words, if you love to indulge culinary pleasures, this is the place to be.
Temples and shrines in the area
If you visit the market via Tsukiji Station on the Hibiya Line, you may cross Tsukiji Honganji Temple. This Buddhist temple has a very unique shape — it was reportedly inspired by South Asian architecture.
The market itself has its own shrine, Namiyoke-jinja. The name means “protection from the waves”. It is the guardian shrine of Tsukiji, and traders come here to pray for good business. The shrine is fairly small and unassuming, but well-maintained. It’s a very short walk from the main part of Tsukiji.
What to eat at Tsukiji Market
Pro tip: Opt for a combined tour and sushi making experience (¥20,081).
Beyond fish, Tsukiji Market is really a well-rounded foodie destination — we say this as bonafide foodies ourselves.
Clearly, we have to recommend trying some seafood — preferably raw. There are a variety of eateries offering a tasty raw fish menu that ranges from kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) to sashimi and sushi. (For a visual guide to the various types of sushi, check out Sushi University.)
Sometimes the fish may actually be from outside Japan. On our visit, we asked one vendor selling rice bowls to-go, and were told that their salmon came from Chile and the tuna from Spain. The fish has been carefully selected and is still very high quality, but it’s worth asking if you’re particular about provenance.
If you’d rather your fish cooked, there are a few seafood barbeque places as well as set meal spots where you can have your fish grilled or turned into soup.
Keep an eye on prices though — premium quality and freshness, or even just the perception of it, can cost you. A five piece nigiri sushi plate could cost ¥2,000 at one place, but more than twice that at the shop next door.
Another great way of enjoying the market is to grab some of the fresh sashimi to go. You can sit down and eat your grub on the third floor rooftop of the market buildings at the west side of the Outer Market.
Non-seafood options at Tsukiji
If you’re not a fan of seafood at all — well, first we have to wonder who dragged you here.
But then we’re also going to tell you not to worry — there’re plenty of non-seafood options.
One vendor you must not miss is Marutake, where you can try the local specialty of tamagoyaki or Japanese-style omelet. It’s slightly sweet and perfectly soft, and excellent even for kids and picky eaters.
Other options include A5 wagyu beef skewers, Chinese-style dumplings, and set meals including pork, beef, chicken and more. There are also a few sweets vendors where you can buy candied fruit on a stick or the fish-shaped baked treats known as taiyaki. Cafes are dotted throughout the market, offering both coffee and tea-based drinks — and yes, also matcha! (More on that below.)
Where to find matcha at Tsukiji
Our top recommendation for matcha drinks at Tsukiji is Matcha Stand Maruni. Here, the specialty is matcha lattes (starting at ¥800).
On our visit in June 2026, we opted for an iced matcha latte, with an addd ¥50 for swapping out the regular milk for oat milk. Soy milk was also an option. The staff whisked the matcha, which was sourced from Mie Prefecture, right in front of us. Besides matcha lattes, there are also other drinks such as the roasted green tea latte. There are also concoctions with ice cream.
If you’re after tins of matcha to take home, try Koshuen. This spot also serves some drinks and ice cream.
Where to eat at Tsukiji Market
The short answer is: ANYWHERE!
The longer answer is: it depends very much on your budget and what you want to eat.
You could head to “the best” sushi spots (according to the guidebooks), but to tell the truth, everyone else will have the same idea. You’ll likely end up facing long lines and high prices.
Unless you’re a sushi gourmand on a mission, you’re probably going to enjoy your meal just as much at the next restaurant down the block. And honestly, that’s our recommendation.
Wander a bit further from the main two streets, and watch the prices drop from ¥4,000 for a five piece nigiri plate to as low as ¥2,000.
If you’re more hands on, a unique way to enjoy some seafood at Tsukiji is with a barbeque. Tsukiji BBQ allows you to shop for your desired food and drinks at the market and take them up to the rooftop of the Tsukiji Uogashi Kaikoubashi Building.
Non-seafood options abound. They tend to be located closer to the busier part of the market, but thankfully the prices don’t vary as much. The aforementioned tamagoyaki or dumplings are generally less than ¥500 per piece. Set meals with grilled fish or fish soup start at around ¥1,500 depending on what you order.
What’s the history of Tsukiji Fish Market?
Tsukiji Market — then officially called the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market — first opened in 1935. It was built to replace the fish market in the Nihonbashi area that was destroyed in the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923. A lot of work was put into researching and designing the market, especially because it was one of the largest reconstruction projects after the earthquake.
Unforunately though, the design of the market didn’t stand the test of time, and after World Ward II it became apparent that Tsukiji Market couldn’t keep up with modern demand. Decades of debate followed, with lots of different options being suggested until a decision was finally made to move the market to Toyosu, which happened in 2018. There are plans to further develop the Toyosu Market complex by 2040.
As for the old Inner Market building? Well, it was demolished and served as a transport hub for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (delayed to 2021). The land is incredibly valuable thanks to its central Tokyo location, but no decisions have been made yet about what will be permanently built in its place.
Bonus: Check out this YouTube video on the old Tsukiji, featuring our very own Greg.
So is Tsukiji Market still open?
Yes! Even though the wholesale market (and its tuna auction) moved, there is still plenty happening here. Moreover, it retains much of the character of Tsukiji past: every single corner of Tsukiji Outer Market is full of charm and history, so we think it’s well worth checking out.
For an ultra-modern experience and to catch sight of the famed tuna auction, you’ll want to head to Toyosu Fish Market. Given that the two markets are fairly close to each other, we recommend visiting both.
How to get to the Tsukiji Outer Market
There are two subway stations within walking distance of Tsukiji Inner Market.
Tsukijishijo Station is on the Toei-Ōedo Line, providing direct access from neighborhoods like Shinjuku, Roppongi and Azabu-Juban. Meanwhile, Tsukiji Station is on the Hibiya Line and can be accessed directly from Nakameguro, Akihabara and Ueno.
When is the market open?
While Tsukiji Market doesn’t have official opening hours, most shops keep hours that are in line with old market rhythyms. This means many shops are closed on days when the wholesale market — now in Toyosu — is closed (Sundays, public holidays, and many Wednesdays; see the schedule here).
Most shops are open from around 5 a.m. to around 2 p.m..
This is because many food industry professionals still use the market for their daily needs. Restaurants and shops that are more geared to tourists have more typical opening hours, like 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are also a few restaurants in the market that stay open for dinner, or reopen in time for dinner, at around 5:30 p.m.
On our visit in June 2026, we noticed most shops selling fresh seafood and other ingredients had shuttered by around 2 p.m. However, there were still a variety of stalls serving small bites, like raw and steamed oysters or crab legs, open until as late as 3:30 p.m. Also, by this time, you can take advantage of some major discounts, with selections of fatty tuna sushi going for half-price.
Another option for a later-in-the-day visit is to head to Tsukiji Side Street, a newer section of the market with a handful of vendors and plenty of seating.
When is the best time to visit Tsukiji?
The old adage of the earlier the better still applies here. If you can get there before, say, 9 a.m. things are on the quieter side. Meaning you’ll be able to walk down some of the busier streets without bumping into people. Towards lunchtime things begin to get more crowded. If you want to try your luck at one of the more popular seafood restaurants, we recommended arriving at least 30 minutes before the advertised opening time.
Practical stuff to know about Tsukiji Outer Market
Although Tsukiji Outer Market is, as we have stressed, a regular market that locals actually patronize, it is not short on facilities for visitors. Head to the Tourist Information Center.
- Storing your bags: There are coin lockers within the market next to the Tourist Information Center. However, you’ll want to note the time carefully — on our visit we saw lockers that you could only use between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. There is also a counter where you can store your bag for ¥500 a piece (as of June 2026), but that service also ends at 3 p.m.
- Toilets: We recommend using the washrooms at the station before you head to the market, if possible. Otherwise, no fear — there are clean toilets, including a few accessible ones, in the market.
- Currency exchange and ATMs: In the same area as the coin lockers and toilets, there are many machines where you can use international credit cards to withdraw some cash or convert currency.
- Nursing rooms: We did not see any dedicated nursing rooms on our visit. However, nearby Tsukiji Honganji Temple has one within its information center.
Interested in catching some fish yourself? See where you can fish in and around Tokyo.
The information in this post, though we do our best to make sure it’s correct, is subject to change. Post originally published on July 30, 2013. Last updated in June 2026.
