Toyosu Tuna Auction & Tsukiji Local Food Tour — Guide Toru
September, 2025
This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 05:00 Meet at the hotel
- 05:30 Watch the tuna auction at Toyosu Market.
- 06:10 Breakfast at a sushi restaurant inside the market
- 06:50 Stroll through Tsukiji Outer Market
- 08:00 Tour ends at Tsukiji Uogashi
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 05:00 at hotel and ended at 08:00. The day ran to 3 hours from start to finish. It included breakfast at a sushi restaurant inside the market at 06:10.
Over the course of the day the route took in Watch the tuna auction at Toyosu Market. at 05:30 and Stroll through Tsukiji Outer Market at 06:50.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Shijomae Station Front／Toei Bus to Tsukiji 6-chome／Toei Bus by train (210JPY). Across 1 sections the fare came to 210JPY per person.
What Is an Early-Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Private Tour in Tokyo Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
1. The tour and the guests' reactions The guests were looking forward to the tuna auction, and I was able to secure a good spot where they could watch the auction up close, which they were delighted by. Perhaps because it fell during a series of scattered holidays, there was slightly less tuna up for auction than usual, which was a little disappointing, but the auctioneer with the biggest gestures handled the auction right in front of us, and the guests took plenty of video.
After watching the auction, the guests had breakfast at a sushi restaurant inside the market and were moved, saying, "There are sushi restaurants back home too, but the sushi here is on a completely different level of deliciousness."
At Tsukiji Market, only one hour of tour time remained, so in response to the guests' request I mainly guided them around knife shops, then gave a quick overview of the locations of my recommended shops, and after the tour ended at 8:00 I left them to enjoy the area at their own pace. After the tour, the guests contacted me via a messaging app to say they were still enjoying strolling around Tsukiji for another hour and a half or so.
2. Other comments, special notes, and requests In the early morning, the entrances of most hotels are locked, and you have to call via the intercom to be let in. However, at the Hotel this time there was no response on the intercom, so I called the guests on a messaging app, and the guests were able to come outside so we could meet. Since there have occasionally been times before when I could not reach guests even via the messaging app, from now on I will confirm in advance whether contact via the messaging app is possible in Tokyo.
If possible, I think it would go more smoothly if you could add an item to the form guests use when booking a tour, confirming whether they can be contacted via a messaging app, so please consider this.
Click here for more details: Toyosu Tuna Auction & Tsukiji Local Food Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Shijomae Station Front／Toei Bus～Tsukiji 6-chome／Toei Bus | 210JPY |
| Total | 210JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Tokyo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at hotel at 05:00, and the tour finished at Tour ends at Tsukiji Uogashi at 08:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 3 hours in total, from 05:00 to 08:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Watch the tuna auction at Toyosu Market. and Stroll through Tsukiji Outer Market.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 210JPY per person across 1 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Toru is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Tokyo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Hello, I am Toru, a certified National Guide. I have been guiding since 2017, primarily in the Tokyo area, which includes Hakone, Kamakura, and Yokohama. To make your stay in Japan unforgettable, I always discuss a tour plan with my guests via email before their arrival. Please share your preferences, including the places you’d like to visit and the experiences you’d like to try during your stay in Tokyo. If this is your first visit to Japan, I’m excited to help make your time in Tokyo even more enjoyable by suggesting sample itineraries and offering travel tips.
For more information about me, please visit my profile site.
https://japan-cultural-traditional-experience.com/hello-welcome-to-japan/
For your reference, please feel free to visit my blog, which features popular sightseeing spots and interesting experiences.
https://japan-cultural-traditional-experience.com/
I look forward to meeting you soon!
July 2, 2026
David S
Tripadvisor : Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Incredible experience at the Markets!
Toru…
July 2, 2026
David S
Tripadvisor : Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Incredible experience at the Markets!
Toru was an AMAZING host and tour guide. He went above and beyond with communication prior, during, and after to make sure my Son and I had an incredible experience. He was unbelievably knowledgeable and catered the tour to what we wanted as well. The sushi breakfast was unreal! Learning all about both Toyosu and Tsukiji markets was an experience we will never forget. 10 out of 10 for sure!!
Jun 6, 2026
meltemg957
Unique experience with a highly knowledgeable guide
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide…
Jun 6, 2026
meltemg957
Unique experience with a highly knowledgeable guide
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
This was our first time visiting a fish market, and from the time we booked the experience, Toru-san has been amazing. He helped us get to Toyosu market, where the tuna auction takes place, at the right time to get the best views and explained everything about how the auction works and made sure we didn’t miss anything. (You will need a knowledgeable tour guide because everything happens so fast and you might miss it!) We learned so much during such a short time about how the delicious tuna you eat at a sushi restaurant ends up in front of you. After the auction Toru-san took us to Okame, a great sushi restaurant, where we got to experience delicious sushi breakfast. Our next stop was Tsukiji market, and again we got to try all sorts of food and learn more about the market and got to meet some of the vendors. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. If you are interested in cooking, Japanese cuisine, or know someone home, this tour will give you the opportunity to do some shopping for unique souvenirs.
We had to get to Toyosu market before 5 am, and while you might think it’s too early, but why not do something fun and delicious with your jetlag? It was so worth it and I’m glad we chose to spend our first morning in Tokyo with Toru-san. The other advantage of being so early was that the market was not as crowded and we got to enjoy our time without having to wait in line.
Thank you, Toru-san!
Jun 4, 2026
bluejerky1
Turo was knowledgeable and the tour was fun and fun and informative. Highly recommend.
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction…
Jun 4, 2026
bluejerky1
Turo was knowledgeable and the tour was fun and fun and informative. Highly recommend.
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
The tour was great. We got to learn a lot about sushi and really enjoyed our time in the
market as well.
May 29, 2026
Eva P
Fabulous experience with Toru!
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Toru was…
May 29, 2026
Eva P
Fabulous experience with Toru!
Tripadvisor review: Toyosu Market Morning Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Food Tour with Licensed Guide
Toru was a fantastic guide and made our experience one to remember. He picked us up
from the hotel and clearly knew how to be there early to get a good view. He also took us to
a delicious sushi place thereafter which the whole family enjoyed.