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 in front of the main gate of Toyosu Market
- 05:00-05:30 Explain related information in advance, such as tuna catching methods, how the auction proceeds, collection methods, and the roles of wholesalers and intermediate wholesalers
- 05:30-06:00 Watch the tuna auction
- 06:00-07:00 Sushi breakfast at a sushi restaurant inside Toyosu Market
- 07:00-07:15 Move to Tsukiji
- 07:15-08:00 Stroll around Tsukiji Inner Market
- 08:00 Disband at Tsukiji
What Is a Private Toyosu and Tsukiji Fish Market Tour Like in Tokyo? A Licensed Guide's Report
1. The tour and the guests' reactions The guests were a group visiting Japan from North America. One of the guests had worked for a company that also had a store in Japan and had visited Japan from time to time in the past, and had experienced visiting the old Tsukiji Market during that time. They were looking forward to seeing how the tuna auction at Toyosu would differ from the Tsukiji auction they had seen years ago. They were amazed that a single tuna auction was over in five seconds, and watching one tuna after another being auctioned off and carried away, they were impressed and called it "well-organized." The three of us watched the hand signals of the intermediate wholesalers and tried to spot the highest bids, but the auction moved so quickly that we couldn't keep up, and we failed to catch the winning prices of two or three tuna. Even so, the three of us had fun calling out "over there!" and "this one!" and enjoyed the feeling of taking part in the auction ourselves. At the sushi restaurant they enjoyed a tuna-focused meal, and both were impressed that the chef's specialty marinated tuna (zuke) was the most delicious. When I relayed the chef's words—"Zuke takes a lot of effort, so it makes me happy as a sushi chef when people say it's delicious"—the guests smiled and kept saying "oishii." At Tsukiji, I showed them the intermediate wholesalers' shops and let them see fresh tuna cut into large blocks and displayed, helping them understand which parts were otoro, chutoro, and akami. At another wholesaler, they saw round slices of the part near the tail that had been cut off at the auction site, as well as the nakaochi part attached to the bone, and they came to understand that tuna is consumed with as little waste as possible. One of the guests had been asked to buy a Japanese meat knife, so I guided them to a Japanese knife shop whose craft traces back to the making of samurai swords, and had them choose a knife. I explained a brief history and the various types of Japanese knives, and they were delighted to see the sword-long knives used specifically for breaking down tuna, displayed like blades in the shop.
2. Other impressions, notes, and requests Since one of the guests and I both remember Tsukiji Market at its peak, I guided the group through the few streets that still retain traces of those days, and together we explained to the rest of the group, "It used to be like this—there were many more narrow shops." One of the guests reminisced in front of a long-established shop, saying, "I might have seen this place before," and I too had a wonderful time being able to talk about the Tsukiji of old.
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 | ||
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.
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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.