The sleek and modern Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo opened in October 2018. It replaces the former Tsukiji Fish Market as the largest wholesale fish market in Japan and in the entire world.
The Toyosu Market is located about two kilometers east of the original Tsukiji location. This enormous marketplace hosts over 600 merchants who sell everything from seafood staples like tuna to exotic delicacies such as sea urchin and whale. Toyosu also boasts a number of high-profile sushi restaurants as well as its famous early morning tuna auction, a must-see experience for many visitors to Tokyo.
How to Get to Toyosu Market
Toyosu Fish Market is located in Odaiba district. From any of the stations on the JR Yamanote Line – such as Tokyo Station – head to Shimbashi Station. From there, take the elevated train Yurikamome to Shijo-mae Station. The buildings of Toyosu are directly connected to the nearby Shijo-mae Station by means of a rain roof.
You can use your Japan Rail Pass ride any train on Yamanote line but Yurikamome elevated train is not covered by it. The market is actually closer to Shijo-mae Station than Toyosu Station despite its name.
Toyosu Market Facilities overview
Toyosu is almost twice the size of the former Tsukiji Market and so remains the largest fish market in the world. It consists of three buildings connected by walkways: the Fish Wholesale Market Building, the Fish Intermediate Wholesale Market Building, and the Fruit and Vegetable Market Building.
A museum-like information area within the wholesale building will introduce you to the market. This area also features a model of the largest tuna ever sold at the market – a 1986 catch weighing nearly 500 kilograms. Informative tours are also available from independent local guides. You may even be able to take a sushi making workshop as part of the experience.
More than 40 food stalls are located in the wholesale fish buildings, near the tuna auction site, and above the market. A Buddhist shrine known as Uogashi Suijinja has also been erected outside of Toyosu Market, facing the waterfront.
Future plans for the market include more tourist-oriented entertainment, including a hotel and access to a hot spring. A shopping street called Senkyaku Banrai is scheduled to open outside the market in 2022.
The Tuna Auction
The Toyosu fish market continues the tradition of the predawn tuna auctions made famous by Tsukiji, providing the area with ample fresh fish for sushi and other dishes. At these unique events, giant bluefin tuna are often auctioned for thousands of dollars a piece.
How to watch: Tuna auctions can be viewed from a dedicated observation deck inside the Fish Wholesale Market Building. The glass partition does not reach the ceiling, so the sounds and odors of the auction – as well as the chilly zero degree temperatures – embrace the visitors and make them feel a part of the action.
How to apply for a space: To gain access to the observation deck, it is necessary to submit an application online in advance. Applications open for around 10 days each month, during which it is possible to reserve a visitor’s pass for a date the following month.
Public opening hours: From 5:45am to 6:15 am every morning. Visitors who submit an application in advance are granted a 10-minute window during this time to watch the auction.
Shops and restaurants
The fourth floor of the Fish Intermediate Wholesale Market Building boasts a large restaurant area with over 100 eateries as well as a shopping area known as the Uogashi Yokocho Market. Here visitors can pick up a range of local produce, souvenirs, and cooking utensils.
The Fruit and Vegetable Market Building and Management Facilities Building also have smaller restaurant areas, although they are often less crowded than in the main building and offer a number of enticing sushi restaurants as well.
Visitors should note that it is not currently possible to buy fresh seafood produce at the market outside of the restaurants. Those wishing to purchase freshly caught fish should visit the Tsukiji Outer Market.
More things to do around Toyosu
After enjoying an early morning tuna auction, visitors are advised to head to Toyosu Market’s peaceful and spacious rooftop garden. From here you can enjoy spectacular views over Tokyo Bay and its unique Rainbow Bridge.
For breakfast or lunch, consider visiting one of the famed sushi restaurants the market has to offer, such as Sushi Dai or Daiwa Sushi. If you are not a fan of seafood, the restaurant areas also offer a range of other cuisines to choose from.
While in the area, you can combine a visit to the Toyosu Fish Market with a trip to the nearby attractions in the surrounding Odaiba district. You may also wish to take a tour of the nearby historic Tsukiji outer market.
From Toyosu Fish Market to Tsukiji Outer Market
As noted above, the Tsukiji Outer Market is still in operation and visitors may wish to stop by to purchase some fresh seafood produce.
It’s possible to reach Tsukiji from Toyosu by walking in around 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a train on the Yurikamome Line from Shijo-mae Station, and then change to the Yurakucho Line and get off at Shintomicho Station, just a short walk from Tsukiji market. The total journey time is around 20 minutes.
Hours and Fees
Admission to the Toyosu Fish Market is free. The tuna auction begins around 5am. While the market remains open until 5pm in the evening, much of the buying and selling has concluded by 10 am.