Tokyo: Hotel 1899 Tokyo & Tsukiji Shijo Station — Guide Masa

**Title:** What's an Early Morning Private Tour of Toyosu Fish Market and Tsukiji Outer Market Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were friends visiting from Europe, both on their first trip to Japan.

Two weeks earlier, they had arrived and spent time in Tokyo before making a fast-paced tour of Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, and Shirakawa-go, returning to Tokyo the previous night.

On this day, after the tour, they planned to visit Odaiba and Akihabara, check out of their accommodation, and return home from the airport in the evening.

The departure was scheduled for 05:00, but one of the guests did not appear for some time (the other was in the lobby on time), so we ended up leaving the Hotel by taxi at 05:25.

We arrived at Toyosu Market at 05:40 and went to the seafood wholesale building, where they watched the tuna auction with great interest.

I explained "the history of Tokyo's fish markets," "the difference between Toyosu Market and the Tsukiji Outer Market," and "the difference between the wholesale market, the intermediate wholesale market, and the Tsukiji Outer Market."

I also answered questions such as "Where are the tuna shipped from?", "Are tuna from all over the world sent to this Toyosu Market?", "When is the market closed?", and "What are the types of tuna, and which kind is the most expensive?"

However, from the second-floor general viewing corridor, it was difficult to see the "fresh tuna" auction taking place below, and the guests seemed dissatisfied, asking, "Why can't we enter the special viewing deck?"

After this, we visited the intermediate wholesale building.

There were questions such as "What kind of people come here to buy?" and "Can't we go inside?"

Afterward, the guests said they wanted "coffee and a sandwich for breakfast," so we went to a coffee shop.

We then took the monorail and subway to the Tsukiji Outer Market and walked slowly around the area. The guests wanted to buy "edamame," but the size they wanted was not available, so they gave up. They also wanted to buy "octopus crackers," but the shop had not yet opened, so they gave up.

Perhaps because of the rainy weather, there were few people out, and many shops remained closed.

The guests said, "We'll walk around Tsukiji Market a little more and then go to Odaiba," so we parted at the entrance to the Tsukiji Outer Market.

Points I noticed

1. The previous day, I used a messaging app to confirm the meeting place and time, and received an "understood" reply from the guests.

2. However, as noted above, on the morning of the tour, perhaps due to fatigue, one of the guests did not appear for some time, delaying the departure. (The taxi driver also urged us on, and I called many times but could not get through.)

3. Regarding transportation from the Hotel to Toyosu Market, during the prior discussions the guests had requested "by taxi," so I visited the Hotel in advance, presented the guests' confirmation number, and arranged the taxi reservation. (This Hotel would not accept a taxi reservation by phone alone.) I explained that "the taxi fare would be paid by the guests," but they seemed dissatisfied and reluctantly paid by credit card.

4. Regarding "breakfast at the coffee shop (a cash-only establishment)," the guests said, "We don't have cash on hand," so I temporarily covered the cost (later, at the Tsukiji Outer Market, they withdrew cash and reimbursed me).

5. For the monorail and subway, they paid with their Suica cards.

Points for reflection

1. I believe I explained things carefully and answered questions as usual, but from the guests' perspective there may have been points that fell short.

2. Both guests seemed to have some difficulty conversing in English, and at times they translated into Italian on their smartphones and read the text.

3. Regarding who would bear the costs, I think it would have been better to explain this more thoroughly and carefully in advance.

Click here for more details: Toyosu Tuna Auction & Tsukiji Local Food Tour, 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.