Tsukiji Outer Market

Tokyo, Japan

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Tsukiji Outer Market is a lively and famous food market in central Tokyo, Japan. It is sometimes called "Japan’s Food Town" because you can find every kind of traditional Japanese food here. The market is made up of a few blocks of narrow lanes filled with hundreds of small shops, stalls, and restaurants.

The area used to be part of the larger Tsukiji Market, which was Japan’s biggest wholesale fish market. In 2018, the wholesale market and fish auctions moved to Toyosu, but Tsukiji Outer Market remained and still attracts many local people and tourists each day. Today, Tsukiji Outer Market is famous for its fresh seafood, sushi, fruits, vegetables, spices, and kitchen goods. Some stalls also sell high-quality Japanese knives and cooking tools.

Visitors like to come early in the morning, as most shops open by 5:00 AM and close by early afternoon. It’s a great place to try street foods like fresh sushi, sashimi bowls, grilled seafood, tempura, and sweet treats. Many restaurants in the market serve delicious sushi breakfasts and lunches.

Besides food, visitors can find dried fish, seaweed, teas, rice, pickles, and many Japanese seasonings. The market is also a good place to watch how artisans prepare fish and to see how locals shop for their cooking needs. Guests are encouraged to eat food at the shop where they buy it, instead of eating while walking, to keep the market clean.

Access to the market is easy, Tsukiji Station and Tsukijishijo Station are both just a few minutes’ walk away. The market is busy and crowded, but it is a fun place to see Japanese food culture in action. Tsukiji Outer Market welcomes people who want to enjoy fresh food, try new tastes, and experience the atmosphere of a traditional Tokyo market.