About the market

Tsukiji Outer Market is a famous Japanese food destination within walking distance of Ginza. The Tsukiji Fish Market operated next door until 2018, but has since moved to Toyosu. Still, the outer market remains as lively as ever.
It's home to around 460 shops. You can have fresh sushi for breakfast or buy souvenirs such as seafood, seasonings, kitchen utensils, and tableware.

How to enjoy the market

Tsukiji Outer Market sells a range of ingredients and kitchen tools geared toward professional chefs. Take your time exploring the shops lining the main street as well as the famous stores tucked along narrow alleyways.

Tsukiji Yamachou, along Namiyoke-dori Street, was established in 1949. The store specializes in tamagoyaki, or Japanese rolled omelet, that's known for its sweet, dessert-like flavor. Each tamagoyaki is carefully grilled by hand, and put on a stick, so customers can enjoy it freshly cooked. These fluffy, piping hot tamagoyaki are worth queuing up for.
Tsukiji Outer Market doesn't allow visitors to eat while walking, so please eat your purchases in designated areas, such as in front of the store where you bought them.

In a narrow alley off Higashi-dori, you'll find Kumade-ya Yamanoi Shoten, which draws professional chefs with its premium selection of cooking utensils. Cookware made in Japan is known for its longevity, and many customers seek out the products for their quality despite the steep price tag. Japanese cooking items, such as bamboo sushi mats and matcha utensils, are especially popular among visitors.

If you visit Tsukiji Outer Market, be sure not to miss the Tsukiji Uogashi fresh market. It has two locations and offers chances to shop and enjoy meals. At the market on the first floor, you'll find Watanabe, which offers seafood and specializes in shellfish. Some of the friendly staff members speak English, and all are willing to use gestures to communicate if necessary.

At Uogashi Shokudo, the food court on the third floor, a store called Tekkaya Hiei specializes in rice bowls topped with tuna sashimi. Originally a wholesaler at the former Tsukiji Fish Market, it opened as a tuna rice bowl specialty store in 2020. A popular menu item features a combination of tuna, medium fatty tuna, and fatty tuna over rice.
The market on the first floor is closed to visitors until 9:00, but Uogashi Shokudo opens at 7:00 in the morning. (Tekkaya Hiei opens at 10:00.) Because of its hard-to-reach location at the back of Tsukiji Outer Market, it's something of a hidden gem.

Access, business hours, and information guide

It's best to visit Tsukiji Outer Market between 9:00 and 13:00, when it's most lively. Most stores close before evening. The market is closed on Wednesdays, Sundays, and national holidays, so many shops are closed on those days as well.

There's an Information Center within the market that helps guide visitors. You can find detailed maps showing shop locations, as well as pamphlets. In addition, there's information in multiple languages about transportation and tourism opportunities in the surrounding area.

Although electronic payments are commonly used throughout Tokyo, most stores in Tsukiji Outer Market are cash only. It's best to prepare lots of cash in advance when you visit.

To avoid bothering workers and other visitors, please eat any food you purchase in-store, or in designated dining areas. Throw garbage away at garbage cans in the stores.
Please note that the market is full of narrow alleyways and small shops, so it's best to visit in small groups.

Tsukiji Outer Market is close to Tsukiji Station, along the Hibiya Line; Tsukijishijo Station, along the Oedo Line; and Higashi-ginza Station, along the Hibiya and Asakusa Lines. It's also within walking distance of Ginza and Shiodome and easily reachable from anywhere within the city, including the major airports.