Tokyo: Shijo-mae Station & Otemachi Station — Guide Masa

Title: What's a Private Tokyo Fish Market Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Toyosu and Tsukiji

The guest was visiting Japan for the first time from Europe, on a 14-day holiday. For today's tour, the guest joined alone. [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) is one of Japan's largest networks of government-licensed, English-speaking private tour guides, serving all 47 prefectures.

Ten days earlier, the guest had arrived at Narita Airport and immediately headed to the Kansai region. After visiting Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Himeji, and Hiroshima, the guest returned to Tokyo yesterday and plans to fly home the day after tomorrow.

Today's tour came from a strong wish to see the heart of Tokyo's fish market. Although the temperature was low, it was a sunny day for the tour.

First, we took a taxi from the hotel to Toyosu Market, starting at the seafood wholesale building. From the corridor on the third floor, we observed the tuna auction. I explained the history of Edo/Tokyo's fish markets since the Edo period, the difference between Toyosu Market and the Tsukiji Outer Market, and tuna auctions in general.

The guest had many questions, such as "Where are most of the tuna caught?", "Who is allowed to take part in the auction?", "How much does a single tuna cost?", "Is there a price difference between fresh and frozen tuna?", and "Why are the tails of the tuna cut off?" We took a photo in front of the tuna display.

From there, we moved to the intermediate wholesale building. The guest also asked, "Why can't we go inside the intermediate wholesale area?" At a tea shop, the guest was served matcha and was delighted.

We then moved to the Tsukiji Outer Market. We walked through the Tsukiji Uogashi area and then into the outer market, before strolling slowly through the area. I explained the history of Tokyo's fish market since the Edo period and the difference between Toyosu Market and the Tsukiji Outer Market. As always, it was very crowded. The guest asked, "Do all Tokyo residents come here to buy fish?" and commented, "It's crowded, but it really seems like there are a lot of tourists."

Since the guest wanted to have sushi for breakfast, we went to a sushi restaurant in Tsukiji. The guest remarked, "Sushi restaurants have been rapidly increasing in Europe too, but there are few satisfying ones, and they are eye-poppingly expensive."

The guest also shared these comments: "Japanese people are friendly and polite everywhere you go. I felt this is a country with a completely different culture. The city is clean, with no litter on the streets. The public transportation network is extremely well-organized, whereas the underground and railways back home are completely unreliable."

I saw the guest off at Otemachi Station, ending the tour.

Click here for more details: Tsukiji & Toyosu Market Local Food Tour with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Masa

Guiding career:
Guide work started in July 2022. A guide focused on FIT compliance.
FY2022 results: 17 cases, FY2023 results: 97
Destinations: Various places in Tokyo, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko
As a recent group travel record, in October 2023, we have a track record of guiding a group of 33 people from Singapore to Narita Airport transfer plus sightseeing in Tokyo.
Self-introduction:
In the past, I was stationed in Canada, the United States, and Mexico as an expatriate of a Japanese bank for over 11 years.
Since I have been mainly involved in the financing business in the United States for a long time, I think I am able to provide interpretation and translation services related to business and finance.
I am a certified CPA in the United States.
In addition, for three years from April 2016, I will be engaged in Japanese-English translation work (part-time), and I can also handle translation work.
Although I don’t have a qualification in Spanish, but I think I can handle day to day conversation in Spanish without any problems.
My hobby is trekking and from time to time, take a walk around mountains near Tokyo like Mt. Takao, Tanzawa, etc. I think it is possible to provide tourist information here as well.
Since April 2015, I have been working as a Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Volunteer and Tokyo Metropolitan Disaster Prevention Volunteer.
One more, I have a separate house near Asuka Village, Nara prefecture, and I stay there for a total of about 30 days every year and have been enjoying sightseeing personally in the vicinity. Therefore, I think in the Kansai region, especially in Nara, Asuka, Yoshino, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, etc., where I think I will be able to tour guide with confidence.