If you wake up at 4 a.m. on your first morning in Japan, Tokyo doesn’t punish you for it. It rewards you. Go to Tsukiji.
Is Tsukiji still open?
The wholesale fish market and its famous tuna auction moved to Toyosu in October 2018. The outer market (jōgai shijō) stayed put: more than four hundred shops, stalls and small restaurants, within walking distance of Ginza.
When to go
Doesn’t account for public holidays or closed Wednesdays; check the market calendar before you go.
- Until 9 a.m. the market belongs to professional buyers; visitors’ hours run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many restaurants open earlier.
- Shops start closing around 2 p.m., and earlier once they sell out.
- Most shops are closed on Sundays, public holidays and some Wednesdays. Check the market calendar before you go.
- Eating while walking through the market is frowned upon. Eat in front of the stall or in a designated spot.
What to eat
- Kaisendon: Raw seafood over rice. Tsukijiro.
- Tuna: Maguroya Kurogin.
- Sea urchin (uni): Unitora.
- Grilled fish: Yaki Uo Ishikawa.
- Standing sushi: Sushicho Bekkan.
- Horumon-don (offal over rice): Kitsuneya.
- Onigiri: Onigiri Marutoyo.
- Chicken: Toritoh.
- Coffee: Fujino.
- Sukiyaki, closer to lunch: Wagyu Sukiyaki Goku.
To take home
Nori and kombu from Tsukiji Ito. Dried goods are the easiest edible souvenir to pack.
After
Walk over to Ginza: a second coffee at Glitch Coffee, shokupan from Centre The Bakery. Or head across to Toyosu for teamLab Planets.
If you want to see the tuna auction, it’s at Toyosu Market now.
Every Tsukiji address, along with the rest of the city, is in my Tokyo guide. Eating solo? See eating alone in Tokyo.
