Tokyo: Watch the auction — Guide Toru
December, 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
- 5:00 Meet at the main gate (south side) of Toyosu Market
- 5:05 Advance explanation about the tuna auction
- 5:30 Watch the auction
- 6:00 Sushi breakfast inside the market
- 7:10 Stroll through the Tsukiji Outer Market
- 8:00 Disband at the Tsukiji Outer Market
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Meeting at main gate (south side) of Toyosu Market at 5:00, the group explored Tokyo until the tour ended at 8:00. The day ran to 3 hours from start to finish.
The itinerary covered Advance explanation about the tuna auction at 5:05, Watch the auction at 5:30, Sushi breakfast inside the market at 6:00 and Stroll through the Tsukiji Outer Market at 7:10.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Toyosu Market by bus (210JPY). Across 1 sections the fare came to 210JPY per person.
Title: What Is a Tsukiji Market Tuna Auction and Sushi Breakfast Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
1. The day's tour, guest reactions, and other impressions The guests were a family visiting Japan from North America. The group was deeply impressed by the sheer number of tuna lined up at the auction site and by how skillfully each fish was sold in about five seconds. Today, the most animated young auctioneer was calling out the bids right below us in an almost dancing style, so the guests were delighted to watch him. (I personally call him the "Dancing auction guy," and whenever he takes his place at the auction, the crowd gets excited, which is a great help to me.)
After watching the auction, the guests were very satisfied with the sushi breakfast. Everyone loved the sushi prepared by the head chef, and they requested, "We'd like two more pieces, so please have the chef choose for us." The chef recommended fresh milt and rich, fatty conger eel, which they tried, and they happily said, "The milt was the best sushi today." Of course, they were also very satisfied with the conger eel.
At Tsukiji, I showed the guests the wholesalers' shops, where they saw large cuts of tuna and came to understand how the tuna sold at auction is processed. After they enjoyed fresh rock oysters at a fish shop and a strawberry daifuku at a sweets shop, I guided them to a specialty store for Japanese kitchen knives. One of the guests enjoys cooking as a hobby, and buying a Japanese kitchen knife was one of the purposes of this trip. I took plenty of time to explain the characteristics of the knives, and they happily purchased three that they liked. One of the three was bought as a gift from one of the guests to another, and it was a heartwarming group. The attached photo captures everyone's smiles after buying the knives.
2. Special notes and requests to Japan Guide Agency This morning was the coldest winter morning we've had so far, and one of the guests looked quite cold. Coming from a relatively warm region in North America, they seemed sensitive to the cold. I had informed them in advance that the early morning would be chilly, but since it will get even colder from now on, I will make sure to also share the expected temperature for the day when contacting guests the day before.
Click here for more details: Toyosu Tuna Auction & Tsukiji Local Food Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Bus | Toyosu Market / 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 main gate (south side) of Toyosu Market at 5:00, and the tour finished at Tsukiji Outer Market at 8:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 3 hours in total, from 5:00 to 8:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Advance explanation about the tuna auction, Watch the auction, Sushi breakfast inside the market and Stroll through the 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.