Tsukiji Fish Market
A fantastic place to eat, with great street food and a huge concentration of small restaurants and cafes, most specialising in seafood. Tsukiji is the world’s largest, busiest fish market has long been a favourite destination for jet-lagged tourists with predawn hours to fill. We did not plan well for the famous tuna auctions which begin at 5am but as only 120 people can attend per day, we were advised to get in line by 3am to ensure we didn’t miss out – if we had a few more days I might have managed this as apparently it is a ‘must-do’ in Tokyo and although we were suffering from jetlag on our first morning we didn’t make the effort to get there in time.
However, we did visit for lunch on our last day in Tokyo. There are plenty of sushi counters here, but to find the best ones, we were advised to wend our way to the restaurant area near the wholesale fruit and vegetable market, just inside the main gate off Shin-ohashi Street.
In Tsukiji’s outer market, a warren of narrow streets packed with stalls selling fresh seafood and other specialty items, such as real wasabi. We purchased lots of little dishes from different vendors, I can say with confidence that we had no idea what we were eating but most of it was great.
Getting to Tsukiji Fish Market:
Take the Oedo line to Tsukiji-Shijo station, exit A1. You can also take the Hibiya line of the Tokyo Metro to Tsukiji station.
The area can get very crowded – avoid the narrow lanes if you’re pushing a stroller or pulling luggage. Come early as most shops in the Outer Market close by 2pm.