- Read our report from Toyosu Market -

Toyosu Market (�L�F�s��, Toyosu Shijō) opened on October 11, 2018 on the man-made island of Toyosu in the Bay of Tokyo. It took over the wholesale business from the aging Tsukiji Market and provides tourists with an opportunity to observe the market action and to dine at restaurants across its large, modern premises.

The huge wholesale market consists of three main buildings: two buildings for seafood and one for fruits and vegetables. All buildings are connected with each other and Shijo-mae Station via walkways, and tourists can enter them along dedicated routes and view the action from observation windows that look onto the auction and wholesale halls for tuna, other seafood and produce.

Fish Wholesale Market Building

This is the building where the tuna auctions take place between around 5:30 and 6:30 in the mornings. It consists of two main halls: the hall for tuna auctions and the hall where seafood other than tuna is auctioned. For tourists, the building complex houses a small restaurant area and many windows and an observation deck to view the auctions:

Tuna Auction Observation Windows

Several windows along a corridor allow visitors to watch down onto the action of the tuna auctions. The windows are double-glazed and keep the observation area mild around the year. However, they also block off all the market sounds and make it a little challenging to take photos without reflections.

Tuna Auction Observation Deck

This observation platform on a lower floor is separated from the action by only a single piece of glass and is also exposed to the noise and temperature of the auction hall. An advance reservation is required to access this deck during the tuna auctions. Three groups of 40 people each are able to view the auctions for 10 minutes each between 5:45 and 6:15. Applications for dates for a given month can be submitted during a selected time period in the previous month (typically during about ten days until around the middle of the month). Participants will be decided by lottery and informed a few days after the submission deadline.

Seafood Auction Observation Windows

A few windows also look into the auction hall where seafood other than tuna is auctioned. While the floor in the tuna auction hall is colored green to provide an ideal contrast for buyers to inspect the tuna, the floor in the seafood auction hall is kept grey.

Fish Intermediate Wholesale Market Building

This is the building where the many wholesale businesses have their shops and sell seafood to licensed buyers. The wholesale market is off-limit to regular visitors, however the building offers tourists several attractions on its upper floors:

Restaurant Area

This is the largest of three restaurant areas found at the market. Many restaurants that were formerly located in Tsukiji's inner market moved to and reopened at Toyosu Market, including some very popular sushi restaurants.

Wholesale Market Observation Windows

The wholesale market is off-limit to tourists; however, there are a few windows that look down onto the market floor, providing some rather limited views of the market action.

Uogashi Yokocho Market

Unlike the wholesale market, the Uogashi Yokocho Market is a shopping area open not only to market workers but also to the general public. Here, over 70 shops sell non-perishable goods and processed foods in retail portions, including knives, pickles, tea and souvenirs.

Rooftop Garden

A spacious rooftop garden sits on top of the building, providing lawn space and pretty views onto the waterfront of Tokyo Bay.

Fruit and Vegetable Market Building

This building combines the auction hall and the wholesale market for fresh fruits and vegetables. Visitors are able to observe the action from windows on the upper floor. A small cluster of restaurants is, furthermore, located, near the entrance of the building:

Wholesale Market Observation Windows

A long corridor with over a dozen windows provides visitors with views into the many small wholesale shops of the fruit and vegetable market.

Auction Observation Windows

A large observation deck with big windows looks down into the huge hall where the fresh produce is auctioned off in the mornings.

A facility for additional shopping and dining, as well as for a public bath and hotel is scheduled to be added to the complex by spring 2023. Until then, it is not possible for the general public to purchase fresh seafood at Toyosu Market (other than by dining at a restaurant). Those interested in purchasing fresh seafood should head to the Tsukiji Outer Market where several wholesale businesses continue to maintain a second shop.