Tsukiji was once the largest wholesale fish market in the world. In October 2018, the wholesale "inner market" — including the famous tuna auctions — moved about 2.4 km away to the modern Toyosu Market. But the much-loved Tsukiji Outer Market remains open and as lively as ever, with around 400–500 shops and restaurants serving fresh sushi, seafood bowls, tamagoyaki, and kitchen knives. So you can still visit Tsukiji for the street-food atmosphere, and head to Toyosu to see the tuna auctions. Both are easy to reach, and the nearest JR station to Tsukiji is Shimbashi (about a 20-minute walk).
Although there's no shortage of things to do in Tokyo, one of the city's most enduringly popular attractions has always been the Tsukiji Fish Market. And here's the most common question we get: Is it still open? The answer is a little more nuanced than a simple yes or no — part of it has moved, but a big, delicious, bustling part of it remains.
Below you'll find everything you need to know about Tsukiji today: what changed, what's still there, how to visit, what to eat, and what the future holds.
Table of contents:
The Tsukiji Fish Market
Is the Tsukiji Fish Market Still Open?
The Toyosu Market
The Tsukiji Outer Market
The Tsukiji Fish Market
If you have never heard of the Tsukiji Fish Market before, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. Tsukiji was a long-running fish market in the Ginza district of Tokyo that had the honour of being the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. The market had been operating since 1935, when it was built to replace an older market destroyed by an earthquake.
While its size was impressive, it was actually the market’s bustling atmosphere that made the biggest impression. Inside the venue were hundreds of wholesale vendors selling all manner of seafood, but the most famous aspect of the fish market was its daily 5am tuna auction. At these lively but brief events, giant bluefin tuna were sold off for huge sums of money, making for quite the spectacle. It required a super early start, but the experience was worth it.
Afterwards, visitors would make their way to the section full of shops and restaurants. There you could tuck into freshly made Tsukiji sushi and sashimi for breakfast, providing the perfect end to your experience. After all, who doesn’t want to eat sushi while in Japan?
Is the Tsukiji Fish Market Still Open?
Here's the key thing to understand. The old Tsukiji Market had two parts: the inner market (the wholesale operation and the tuna auctions) and the outer market (the streets of retail shops and restaurants).
The inner market closed on 6 October 2018 and relocated to the brand-new Toyosu Market, about 2.4 km away, which opened on 11 October 2018.
The outer market did not move — it remains right where it always was, open and thriving.
So if someone tells you "Tsukiji is gone," they're only half right. The wholesale market and tuna auctions moved to Toyosu, but the Tsukiji Outer Market is very much alive — and for most visitors, it's still the more atmospheric, walkable, street-food-focused experience.
The Toyosu Market
The wholesale market — now the Toyosu Market — sits on reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay, about 2.4 km from Tsukiji. Thanks to its modern facility, almost twice the size of the old Tsukiji site, it's the largest wholesale fish market in the world. It's a very different experience from Tsukiji: clean, modern, climate-controlled, and enclosed, with designated visitor walkways and viewing galleries rather than open streets.
What you can do at Toyosu:
- Watch the famous tuna auction from a dedicated 2nd-floor observation gallery (entry is free; the auctions happen very early, around 5:30am, and the best viewing may require advance application during busy periods).
- Eat incredible sushi at the restaurants that moved over from Tsukiji — many open from the early hours for a legendary fresh-sushi breakfast.
- Explore the three connected buildings (wholesale seafood, fruit & vegetables, and management/restaurants), all linked to Shijo-mae Station on the Yurikamome line.
A major new attraction opened in February 2024 right beside the market. Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai is an Edo-themed complex with two parts: the Toyosu Jogai Edomae Ichiba, a market-style hall of around 65 food and shopping outlets built to evoke an Edo-period streetscape; and the Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club, a 24-hour hot-spring spa with open-air baths fed by water trucked in from the Hakone-Yugawara hot springs. It was created as a kind of "new outer market" to give Toyosu some of the lively street-food vitality Tsukiji is famous for.
Pair it with teamLab Planets: Toyosu is also right next to teamLab Planets, the wildly popular immersive digital-art museum — a natural combination for a half-day in the Bay Area. Tickets often sell out weeks ahead, so book in advance.
The Tsukiji Outer Market
The Tsukiji Outer Market is a warren of narrow streets packed with around 400–500 shops and restaurants, and it remains one of Tokyo's most popular food destinations. Here you'll find fresh sushi and seafood-bowl restaurants, grilled skewers, tamagoyaki (sweet rolled omelette) stands, dried seafood and seaweed, pickles, green tea, and shops selling beautiful Japanese kitchen knives and cookware. Professional chefs still shop here alongside tourists, and the bustling, slightly chaotic atmosphere is a joy.
When to go: The market is at its liveliest early in the morning — aim for around 8am or earlier for the best atmosphere and freshest food, as many businesses wind down by early afternoon. The wholesale-adjacent activity runs roughly 5am–2pm, while the tourist-friendly shops and restaurants generally open from around 10am to 6pm, with some open for dinner.
A note on late December: The Outer Market becomes extremely busy at the end of the year, when residents shop for traditional New Year foods. To ease congestion for regular customers, the local council asks tourists to consider visiting outside late December if possible.
Tsukiji vs Toyosu: Which Should You Visit?
Both are worth visiting, and they offer different experiences. Here's how to choose:
Vibe
Toyosu Market: Modern, clean, indoor, spacious
Tsukiji Outer Market: Historic, bustling, open-air streets
Tuna auction
Toyosu Market: No (moved to Toyosu)
Tsukiji Outer Market: Yes, free 2nd-floor viewing gallery
Best for
Toyosu Market: Street food, atmosphere, browsing, families
Tsukiji Outer Market: Seeing the auction, pristine sushi breakfast, teamLab combo
Street food
Toyosu Market: Excellent and abundant
Tsukiji Outer Market: Mostly at the new Senkyaku Banrai complex
For atmosphere, street food and convenience, go to Tsukiji. To see the tuna auction and combine it with teamLab Planets and an onsen, go to Toyosu. Many visitors with time do both — they're only 2.4 km apart.
How to Get There With Your JR Pass
To the Tsukiji Outer Market
The nearest JR station is Shimbashi Station (about a 20-minute walk), served by the JR Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku and Yokosuka lines — all covered by your Japan Rail Pass.
Closer by subway (not JR-covered): Tsukiji Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya line) or Tsukijishijo Station (Toei Oedo line). Use a Suica/IC card for these.
To the Toyosu Market
Take the Yurikamome line to Shijo-mae Station (the market connects directly to it). The Yurikamome is not JR-covered, so use an IC card.
A common JR-friendly route: ride a JR line to Shimbashi Station, then transfer to the Yurikamome line to Shijo-mae.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where did the tuna auction go?
The tuna auction moved to the Toyosu Market in October 2018. You can watch it there from a free 2nd-floor observation gallery. The auctions take place very early in the morning (around 5:30am), and viewing may require advance application during busy periods.
2. What's the best time to visit Tsukiji Outer Market?
Early morning, around 8am or earlier — for the best atmosphere and freshest food, as many businesses wind down by early afternoon. Note that the market gets extremely crowded in late December, when locals shop for New Year foods, so the local council asks tourists to visit outside that period if they can.
3. What is Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai?
It's an Edo-themed complex that opened next to Toyosu Market in February 2024, designed to bring some of Tsukiji's lively outer-market feel to Toyosu. It includes a market hall with around 65 food and shopping outlets and a 24-hour hot-spring spa, the Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club.
4. What will happen to the old Tsukiji site?
The 19-hectare former inner-market site is being redeveloped into a major new district with a roughly 50,000-capacity multi-purpose stadium, a hotel, offices and green spaces. The first part is expected around 2029, with full completion targeted for about 2032.
