Information
Landmark: Tsukiji Fish MarketCity: Tokyo
Country: Japan
Continent: Asia
Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan, Asia
Overview
Until it shut its doors in late October 2018, Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market (築地市場, Tsukiji Shijō) stood as a beloved landmark and the world’s largest wholesale hub for seafood, where the scent of fresh tuna filled the morning air.The old market may be gone from its original spot, but Tsukiji still anchors Tokyo’s food culture, with the outer stalls buzzing and the smell of fresh grilled seafood drifting through the air.Here’s a closer look at the Tsukiji Fish Market-its history, opening, and growth.When the market opened in 1935, the air was thick with the scent of fresh tuna, and for more than eight decades, it thrived as the bustling heart of Tokyo’s seafood trade.The place gained worldwide fame for its immense size, top-quality goods, and the lively auctions of fresh seafood-most famously, the glistening bluefin tuna.Significance: The market played a vital role, serving locals and anchoring Japan’s entire seafood network, with crates of fresh tuna and shellfish shipped daily across the country and overseas.Over the years, it turned into a cultural icon, drawing crowds who snapped photos in the bright afternoon sun.The Inner Market, the bustling wholesale hub, was divided into sections where stalls offered glistening fish, fresh seafood, cuts of meat, ripe fruit, crisp vegetables, and bags of dried goods.People knew it for its quick, electric energy-the kind that made your heart race like hearing footsteps behind you.Tuna Auction: One of the biggest draws, the tuna auction pulled in tourists, photographers, and food lovers, all jostling for a glimpse of glistening silver fish on ice.At dawn, the tuna auctions drew crowds, with massive frozen fish hauled out under the harsh fluorescent lights and sold to eager buyers for prices that sometimes soared to staggering heights for the finest catch.The auction crackled with energy as auctioneers barked out numbers and bidders shot their hands into the air.Hours of operation: The tuna auctions kicked off before dawn, usually running from about 5:00 to 6:00 a.m., in a designated corner of the inner market where the air smelled faintly of salt and ice.Tourists could watch from marked viewing spots, though signs and stern guards made sure the auctions ran without a hitch.In October 2018, after years of preparation, the bustling wholesale trade of Tsukiji Fish Market moved to its new home in Toyosu, a sleek facility in Tokyo’s Koto district where the air still smelled faintly of the sea.They made the change to modernize the market, aiming for cleaner stalls, smoother traffic, and buildings sturdy enough to stand through a quake.Toyosu Fish Market, built on an artificial island, boasts cutting-edge facilities for handling seafood-from icy cold storage rooms to spotless processing areas and high-tech sanitation systems.The tuna auction still runs at Toyosu, but visitors can watch only from marked zones, peering past glass panels to see the bustle on the floor.Even after the wholesale operations shifted to Toyosu, Tsukiji’s Outer Market-still lined with sizzling food stalls, small restaurants, and crowded shops-kept running and remains a favorite stop for visitors.In the outer market, visitors can browse stalls piled high with fresh seafood, glistening sushi, and other Japanese treats.The Tsukiji Outer Market is still open, buzzing with the same lively energy-vendors calling out over stacks of fresh tuna-that once filled the old market.The inner wholesale market may have shifted to Toyosu, but the outer market still draws food lovers to Tokyo with its sizzling grills and the scent of fresh tuna in the air.Food Stalls: In Tsukiji’s bustling outer market, you’ll find steaming grills, tiny shops piled high with fresh seafood, jars of miso, and an endless lineup of savory and sweet snacks.You might start with sushi or fresh-cut sashimi, sample some smoky grilled seafood, then finish with tamago-the sweet, golden Japanese omelette-or a crisp katsu sandwich.Sushi and sashimi are what Tsukiji is known for, with tiny counters and bustling stalls serving glistening slices of raw fish so fresh it almost melts on your tongue.At plenty of sushi bars and street stalls, chefs slice silky, tender fish and place it on rice right before your eyes.Street foods tempt visitors with the sweet scent of taiyaki-golden, fish-shaped pastries filled with red bean paste or creamy custard-alongside sizzling takoyaki, each ball hiding tender octopus, and steaming bowls of oni-soba in rich, aromatic broth.Produce and Spices: Alongside the seafood stalls, the outer market brims with Japanese vegetables and fragrant spices, from crisp daikon to bright shiso leaves.You can pick up fresh vegetables, ripe fruit, and classic Japanese staples like sharp wasabi, crisp seaweed, and savory soy sauce.In Tsukiji, especially around the bustling outer market, many sushi spots are known for serving top‑quality fish at prices that won’t empty your wallet.In this neighborhood, you’ll find tiny sushi counters tucked into narrow side streets alongside renowned spots that draw both curious tourists and regular locals.Sushi Dai and Sushi Zanmai rank among the area’s best-known spots, often drawing early-morning lines that curl around the block.Both serve fresh, top‑quality sushi that draws crowds of tourists, and at noon you might find the line curling out the door.Walking tours let visitors wander the market’s busy lanes, hear stories of its past, watch seafood auctions in action, and discover the many varieties of fish and shellfish found across Japan.Plenty of these tours take you through the bustling outer market, then on to Toyosu.After Tsukiji-what’s going on now?The original Tsukiji Fish Market may be gone, but the neighborhood still hums with the scent of grilled squid and the chatter of vendors, keeping its place in Tokyo’s food culture and pulling in visitors from all over the world.Tsukiji’s Outer Market still hums with life, its narrow lanes lined with old family-run restaurants and shops that have served the neighborhood for decades.This spot is still buzzing with flavor, from the briny scent of fresh-caught seafood to the delicate sweetness of old-style Japanese confections.Cultural Legacy: Tsukiji’s spirit lives on in the bustling stalls of its outer market, in the swift slice of a sushi chef’s knife, and in the rich food traditions it helped create.Many still think of Tsukiji as the heart of Tokyo’s seafood scene-a place that captures Japan’s devotion to fresh, top‑quality ingredients, like the glistening tuna laid out at dawn.Today in Tsukiji, wander through the lively Outer Market, weaving past stalls piled high with glistening tuna, sizzling skewers, and shelves of quirky souvenirs.Be sure to sample fresh sushi, dig into a brimming seafood bowl, or savor the smoky char of grilled seafood skewers.Head to Tsukiji for some of the freshest sushi in Tokyo, where you can slide into a counter seat and choose from classic nigiri to inventive rolls you’ve never seen before.Just a short walk from the lively Tsukiji market, the Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple stands out with its striking Indian-style columns and centuries-old Buddhist heritage.Several companies run sushi-making classes paired with market tours, where you might wander the bustling stalls of Toyosu, hear stories about the seafood trade, and roll your own sushi with fish so fresh it still smells of the sea.Getting there’s easy-just hop off at Tsukiji Station in Tokyo.
