Tokyo: Toyosu Market tour & Tsukiji Market — Guide Tomoya

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

The guests were visitors based in North America. They were traveling on a cruise around East Asian countries, with Tokyo as their departure point in Japan, so they arrived early in the morning at Haneda and headed straight to Toyosu Market, where we met to begin the tour.

This was their third visit to Japan. On a previous trip they had visited Tsukiji but were unable to see the tuna auction, so they chose this tour specifically because they wanted to witness it.

As one of the guests also enjoys fishing, the group observed the auction with great interest and asked many questions about the different types and structures of tuna.

After watching the tuna auction, we toured the general fish auction, followed by the intermediate wholesalers' building. The guests then wished to have breakfast, and since Sushi Dai was already fully booked, we chose the neighboring sushi restaurant instead. They ordered an eight-piece omakase set, steamed clam, and beer, and enjoyed their meal in high spirits while watching the sushi chef prepare each piece right in front of them.

We traveled to Tsukiji Market using a charter service arranged by the guests.

At Tsukiji, after walking around the outer market, we enjoyed sake at a standing bar on the third floor of the fish market building.

We visited Namiyoke Shrine to pray for a safe and healthy journey, had drinks at a matcha stand, and then parted ways at Tsukiji Hongwanji.

The guests asked for advice on how to spend the rest of their day, so I recommended a whisky museum in Ginza where one can enjoy whisky tasting, as well as cherry blossom viewing at Chidorigafuchi.

The guests were calm, cheerful, and highly intelligent. They told me it had been a wonderful start to their long cruise.

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

Tour Report by Tomoya

Hello, and welcome to Japan.
My name is Tomoya Kimura, and I will be your licensed guide for this tour.
It is a great pleasure to meet you.

I obtained my National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter qualification in February 2025.
I am actively participating in professional training programs and have recently started my guiding work.

Before becoming a guide, I worked for 13 years at a major Japanese trading company, specializing in international sales.
I also lived and worked overseas for a total of five years in Germany and Thailand.
Through that experience, I learned how to work closely with people from different cultural backgrounds, to understand their perspectives, and to build trust through clear and respectful communication.
I believe these skills are equally important when guiding guests from abroad.

I am also a passionate traveler myself and have visited around 40 countries so far.
My particular interests are Shintoism, Japan’s hot spring culture, and regional food traditions.
During our time together, I hope not only to show you places, but also to share the stories behind them like why hot springs are so important to Japanese people, and how local food cultures have developed over time.

I always try to adapt my guiding style to each guest’s interests and pace, so that you can feel comfortable, relaxed, and truly enjoy your time in Japan.
I hope this journey will leave you with lasting memories and a deeper connection to the places we visit.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to spending a wonderful time with you.