Guide To Toyosu Fish Market: Tuna Auction, Fresh Sushi & More

There’s a reason why seafood is Tokyo’s forte, why one of the most famous schools of sushi, Edomae, draws its name from the city’s former identity — and why the largest fish market, Toyosu Fish Market, calls this capital home.

In the late 18th century, Tokyo’s insatiable demand for seafood led to the creation of a dedicated fish market, connecting fishmongers with local buyers. After relocating its initial wholesale area from Nihonbashi, the Tsukiji Fish Market thrived for nearly a century.

The decision to relocate the city’s prime fish market from Tsukiji to Toyosu in 2018, while significant, came as little surprise. Situated on a man-made island near Odaiba, Toyosu Fish Market spans over four million square feet — twice the size of Tsukiji — and houses three distinct markets. 

This pivotal move reflects the evolution of Tokyo’s seafood culture, shifting from the aging Tsukiji to a modern, state-of-the-art facility designed to better handle the country’s growing fish demands and increasing international attention.

From the bustling complex and the famous tuna auction to the dining experiences and activities available, read on to discover everything Toyosu Fish Market has to offer!

Toyosu Fish Market stands as the largest fish market in the world and serves as Tokyo’s primary seafood wholesale market. The complex consists of three interconnected buildings — a wholesale market for consumers, an auction market and a fruit and vegetable market — designed to accommodate the increasing demands of businesses. In its opening year, nearly 900 businesses made the move from Tsukiji to Toyosu.

Similar to Tsukiji, which was made up of reclaimed land helmed by the Tokugawa shogunate from the lowland marshes along the Sumida River (even the name, “Tsukiji,” means “reclaimed land” in Japanese), the Toyosu area is also an artificial island strategically located in Tokyo Bay, a massive bay that runs along the coast of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture and Chiba Prefecture. 

Toyosu Fish Market comes alive before dawn. Before 5 am, fishing boats unload their catches when most city residents are still asleep. By 5:30 am, fishmongers, distributors and shop owners gather on the auction floor to bid on tuna in a famous event known as the tuna auction. 

Shortly after, shops and restaurants begin preparing the fresh catches for the day ahead, ready to serve the morning crowd of line workers and purveyors. 

The reason that the Tsukiji Fish Market was relocated to Toyosu was due to one major flaw: it was severely outdated. Originally designed to accommodate railroad transportation, the Tsukiji site struggled to adapt to the modern, truck-based logistics system. 

Despite spanning 23 hectares, the market's increasing number of vendors and high seafood trade volume — handling 1,700 tons of seafood and $14 million in daily transactions by 2015 — rendered it unable to meet the demands of a modern city, too. 

Plus, the original Tsukiji Fish Market had occupied prime real estate close to the heart of Tokyo, making relocation an appealing option for city planners. 

In 2001, Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintari was a key advocate for moving the market to Toyosu in the Koto Ward, which is only around 4 kilometers away. The new Toyosu Fish Market was a $5 billion project, but its opening faced multiple delays. 

Initially planned for November 2016 to align with preparations for the 2020 Summer Olympics (later postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), the move was pushed back due to concerns about pollution at the Toyosu site, which had previously housed a gas plant. 

After the site was declared safe, Toyosu Fish Market officially opened in October 2018, with public access granted two days later.

Today, while the main operations have moved to Toyosu, the Tsukiji Outer Market, or “jogai shijo,” remains busy. This bustling area, a blend of wholesale and retail shops, still offers Japanese kitchen tools, restaurant supplies, groceries, seafood and a variety of sushi restaurants.

It continues to draw crowds and occasionally goes viral on social media, with popular items like the ¥100 tamagoyaki omelet stick.

Read More: Best Street Food in Tsukiji

The experience at Toyosu Fish Market contrasts with the lively atmosphere of Tsukiji, which holds a more traditional image of an old-school fish market: open-air stalls, chaotic chatter and weathered charm. 

In contrast, Toyosu offers a more streamlined and modern environment, with clearly designated visitor areas and a sterile, controlled setting.

Toyosu Fish Market introduces several key advancements. Unlike Tsukiji’s open-air design, Toyosu’s fully enclosed buildings significantly reduce the risk of animal contamination. 

A new processing facility was added to meet the growing demand for packaged products from retailers, restaurants and consumers. Additionally, Toyosu's expanded loading docks and parking spaces improve operational efficiency and safety.

One of Toyosu's most notable innovations is its digital bidding system. This allows buyers to participate in the early morning tuna auctions remotely, no longer requiring them to be physically present at the market.

Read More: Best Fish Markets in Tokyo

Since Toyosu Fish Market is located close to the former Tsukiji Fish Market, access is fairly similar. The market surrounds Shijo-mae Station on the Yurikamome Line, and due to its vast size, the station is integrated into the facility itself.

While buses are available, they offer less flexibility with fewer routes, especially on weekends and holidays. For those keen on arriving early, staying at a nearby hotel and taking a taxi can be a convenient option to avoid the need for early train rides.

If you plan to see the early-morning tuna auction in Toyosu Fish Market, it’s best to take the train. The first train arrives around 5:20 am, while buses only start running after 7 am.

The tuna auction at Toyosu Fish Market is undoubtedly the star attraction, though it starts at the break of dawn. Like its predecessor at Tsukiji, this auction is reserved for licensed buyers and distributors, who bid on prized tuna fresh from the fishermen. 

The scene is mesmerizing yet subdued, with near-silent bidding taking place through intricate hand signals. One distinctive detail is the auction floor itself: it’s painted green to enhance the visual contrast of the tuna’s vibrant red meat, making it easier for buyers to assess quality.

The auction runs daily from approximately 5:45 am to 6:25 am in the Fisheries Intermediate Wholesale Building. To witness this event, you must first head to the Fish Information Center, where attendants provide guidance in both English and Japanese.

After passing through an area brimming with shops, you'll enter a hall that chronicles the fascinating history of tuna auctions in Tokyo. One highlight here is a replica of the largest bluefin tuna ever sold at the Tsukiji Market back in 1986 — a staggering specimen weighing nearly 500 kilograms.

From this exhibit, a hallway leads you to two observation options for the auction itself:

Special observation deck

This is the closest you’ll get to the action, with a glass barrier that leaves some open air to let in the sounds of the auction. Free to access, this exclusive experience is available to only 27 visitors per day, selected via a lottery system held at the start of each month. 

If you're eager for an up-close view, be sure to register early, as spots fill quickly.

Upper-Floor observation windows

For a more accessible experience, the upper-floor windows provide a panoramic view of the auction from a gallery on the third floor. You don’t need to pre-register, and the viewing comes with a small fee. 

While these windows are sealed with glass to block out the noise and smell of the auction floor, they still offer an excellent vantage point. The walkway gallery opens at 5 am, giving early risers a chance to observe the action in real-time.

No matter which option you choose, it’s crucial to dress warmly. The auction room is kept just above freezing to preserve the quality of the fish, so even in summer, a jacket is essential.

Tip: For those who want the best viewing experience, consider booking a guided tour to secure your spot and ensure an unobstructed view of this incredible spectacle.

In this walking tour of Tsukiji Fish Market, you'll wander through 65+ fish market vendors, try fresh sashimi, see tuna being prepared for sale, dine on a Japanese seafood breakfast and visit a historic Japanese shrine.

There are around 40 food stalls within the wholesale fish building alone at Toyosu Fish Market, with even more spread across the other two buildings. Each offers a variety of dining options, opening early to serve local workers and closing by early afternoon. 

If you’re already at Toyosu, it’s the perfect opportunity to indulge in fresh sushi, sourced just steps from the market itself. Many of the eateries specialize in sushi or seafood, selling dishes at market prices. 

For a true taste of Toyosu’s offerings, we recommend trying a set menu that rotates with the season, ensuring the freshest catch.

Tip: Make your sushi or kaisendon (seafood bowl) meal a morning affair and aim for an early breakfast, as most stores close by lunchtime.

With a 150-year legacy, Sushibun has journeyed alongside Tokyo’s fish markets, starting as a food stall in Nihonbashi when the area thrived as a bustling fish hub. 

Now located in Toyosu, this sushi restaurant continues to attract devoted fans. Chef-owner Hirano Aya specializes in wild-caught fish and traditional homemade soy sauce, serving sushi with thickly sliced fish atop red-vinegared rice. 

Consider the omakase set menu, featuring hearty nigiri with seasonal fish, or indulge in the chirashi bowl — a sushi rice bowl blanketed with over 10 types of toppings including fatty tuna, sea urchin and salmon roe.

Iwasa Sushi receives a mix of Toyosu Fish Market’s workers, off-duty fishermen, chefs and travelers. It’s hard not to notice the walls decked with framed photographs of global dignitaries and memorabilia, including a jersey from a celebrated athlete.

Sushi here is all about seasonality. Led by a proprietress with a discerning eye for quality — herself a seasoned fisher — the restaurant capitalizes on its proximity to the fish market. 

Diners can tuck into classic sushi sets that might include assortments of nigiri like shrimp, conger eel and tuna. Meanwhile, the donburi (rice bowl), which comes with heaping toppings of ikura (fish roe), uni (sea urchin) and seafood toppings, is just about as fresh as you can get in Tokyo. 

Sushidokoro Yamazaki is abuzz with the early-morning crowd: auctioneers, off-duty fishermen and fishmongers placing sushi orders. 

One of the small but mighty sushi tenants in Toyosu Fish Market, Sushi Yamazaki had once resided in Tsukiji Outer Market before moving in 2018 following the fish market’s relocation, bringing with it the same staff who has been in the fish industry for 40-plus years. 

For the quintessential sushi for breakfast, rely on the chef’s keen eye on the best catches and get the sushi omakase set, where the fish selection gradually changes with the season. 

It’s a sushi-for-breakfast (or lunch) affair at the 12-seat Ryuzushi, which quickly settled into its new home in Toyosu Fish Market’s administrative building after relocating from Tsukiji Outer Market in 2018. 

Between the same customer demographic, counter-only seating and no-frills decor, nothing much has changed since then. The L-shaped counter hugs the tiny space, where diners duck their heads below the noren curtain to enter and order fresh sushi.

The fish selection changes depending on the season, but most nigiri pieces are inherently Edo-style, which are sushi that uses fish caught from Tokyo Bay. 

Crazy queues are par for the course at Toyosu Fish Market’s Sushi Dai. The restaurant serves just 150 portions per day, making it a first-come, first-serve experience. 

Their omakase menu is highly recommended, offering the freshest catches of the day, though a standard set meal and a la carte options are also available. Nigiri, sushi rolls, miso soup and more round out the offerings at this must-visit destination for sushi enthusiasts.

Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai, which opened in February 2024, is the latest attraction at Toyosu Fish Market, designed to evoke the Edo Period with a name that translates to "a constant flow of customers," hinting at its lively, bustling atmosphere. 

Located next to the fish market, the venue spans three levels and offers both food and entertainment.

The structures are built using timber from Tokyo’s Tama area and feature ibushi tiles from Awaji Island. The space is divided into two main sections: Toyosu Edo-mae Market and Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club.

Toyosu Edo-mae Market spans three floors and showcases Edo-style food courts, where visitors can indulge in sushi, seafood, rice bowls and yakiniku, reflecting the market’s culinary heritage.

Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club is a wellness and bathhouse facility operating 24 hours a day, spread across ten floors and a basement. It offers a unique "hot spring town" experience in the heart of Tokyo. 

The highlight of the Manyo Club is its two rooftop footbath gardens, one of which is open to the public for free, offering stunning 360-degree views of Toyosu and its waterfront.

While the tuna auction is a major draw, Toyosu Fish Market offers a range of activities that make it worth exploring beyond just its famous fish market.

Toyosu is not only about seafood. The fruit and vegetable wholesale market is located in the same complex. Early-morning visitors can browse fresh, high-quality produce from across Japan.

The rooftop, accessible by elevator, includes a terrace with landscaping and panoramic views of parts of Tokyo's skyline. While eating or drinking are not allowed on the roof, it’s a great alternative to take a peek at Mt. Fuji on a clear day. 

On the fourth floor of the Intermediate Seafood Wholesale Building, there are over 100 retail shops offering a variety of items, including sake, cheese, knives, kitchen utensils, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Toyosu Fish Market is the world’s largest seafood market, located in Tokyo, featuring three interconnected buildings for auctions, wholesale seafood and fresh produce.

Toyosu replaced Tsukiji in 2018 due to Tsukiji’s outdated infrastructure and inability to meet the growing demands of modern logistics and seafood trade.

Visitors can view the Toyosu tuna auction from the Special Observation Deck or the Upper-Floor Observation Windows starting at 5 am.

Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai is a new Edo-Period-themed entertainment and dining complex, opened in February 2024, adjacent to the Toyosu Fish Market.

Toyosu Fish Market offers around 40 food stalls, serving fresh sushi, seafood rice bowls and other market-priced dishes.

The Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club is a 24-hour wellness facility with hot springs and rooftop footbaths, offering panoramic views of Toyosu’s waterfront.

Toyosu Fish Market spans over four million square feet, double the size of Tsukiji and includes three separate markets.

For the best experience, arrive before 5 am to watch the famous tuna auction and enjoy breakfast at the market’s sushi stalls..

Yes, Tsukiji Outer Market, which features retail shops and sushi restaurants, remains open despite the relocation of the main fish market to Toyosu.