hile the rest of Tokyo sleeps, one place stirs awake and comes alive during the wee hours of the early morning.
Like bees to a hive, many flock to Tsukiji Fish Market – the largest wholesale seafood market in the world and epicenter for restaurants to source the crème de la crème of produce. Home to record-breaking bluefin tuna, high-quality ingredients and raved by culinary fans, no visit to Tokyo is complete without savoring the taste of the freshest and finest of seafood Japan has to offer. But Tsukiji Market is more than just a mere fishmonger market. From decadent seafood bowls, exquisite wagyu and even sweet treats such as ice cream and traditional daifuku, Tsukiji’s outer marketplace offers a variety of food choices that will excite your senses as you weave your way through each culinary corridor.
From here, we’ll expand your food appreciation and take you through the best foods to try at Tsukiji Market.
The market itself inspires awe, and the global quest for seafood to supply Tsukiji has sent many people off to trace connections between the marketplace and distant shores… Anthony Bourdain calls it “the awe-inspiring, life-changing mother of all fish markets…the smell of limitless possibilities, countless sensual pleasures”
– Theodore C. Bestor from “Tsukiji: The Fish Market at the Center of the World”
Seafood Lovers Galore
tasty seafood treat at every corner, seafood lovers will be spoiled for choice at Tsukiji!
Whether you dine in at a small sushi restaurant for their sushi-of-the-day omakase or get your hands slightly dirty with some good finger food from a friendly food vendor, there is no shortage of seafood eateries to choose from. For us, seeing the lavish displays of the seafood vendors with ready-to-eat dishes was the obvious choice to explore Tsukiji’s food scene.
From the display, visitors can select the seafood they want and the vendor will lightly grill or garnish raw dishes with sauce to eat on the spot. While eating at vendor shops there are a few things to remember:
- It is generally frowned upon to eat while walking around the market since you can easily bump people when it’s crowded. To avoid spilling your appetising seafood dish on others, it is best to eat at the store where you bought it from.
- Tsukiji Market does not have public bins as it’s the responsibility of store owners to dispose of any garbage. Once you have finished your food, you can either give the garbage to the store owner or throw it in the bin they provide.
- In regards to food hygiene and concerns of potential food poisoning, many vendors keep their seafood fresh on beds of ice which helps regulate temperature control. Nevertheless, if you are worried about having a weak stomach, order from stores that are located under shaded areas rather than exposed to direct sunlight.
Whichever way you decide to dine, Tsukiji’s outer market will keep you entertained with over 300 shops and eateries to choose from. Here is just a small collection of the seafood we ate on our visit:
Huge fresh oysters served with soy sauce.
Gyudon and Offal Stew at Kitsuneya
long-time favourite of the locals, Kitsuneya was established in 1947. To this day, they are still cooking and dishing out some of the best gyudon beef bowls and stewed offal rice bowls in town.
Instantly recognisable by the large bubbling pot of reddish-brown stew simmering at the front of the small eatery, Kitsuneya is so popular that there are lines of hungry patrons waiting before the opening time of 6:30 AM!
Their signature dish is simmered offal stew (ホルモン) on rice and is the store’s
specialty that has been handed down for three generations. The recipe originated from the owner’s grandfather who was a geta shoe craftsman and regularly made the stew as a side dish for his sake.
With a taste and smell so distinct and one-of-a-kind, Kitsuneya’s humble stew rice bowls are morsels of homemade love. Their second popular dish, gyudon, is also beloved by many and is worth ordering with a side of stewed offal, just how the original creator enjoyed it.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Tamagoyaki at Tsukiji Yamacho
hile eating sashimi or sushi you may have noticed that it’s usually accompanied by an egg dish called tamagoyaki.
This pairing of raw fish and egg omelette might seem an unlikely pair but traditionally, it played a role in sushi presentation to add a pop of bright colour to the seafood.
Originally, sushi chefs not only prepared and served fish but also made their own tamagoyaki for their establishment, however it has become more of a tradition in recent times. In fact, making the perfect tamagoyaki is still considered the markings
of a highly-skilled sushi chef as temperature control is needed to make the appearance of the tamagoyaki perfectly yellow and blemish-free.
At Tsukiji there are a handful of tamagoyaki stores selling their own take on the humble egg omelette, but Tsukiji Yamacho is the crowd favourite. Originally dedicated to only supplying to restaurants, they opened their operations to the general public after many requests and have a large following among the international crowd. For just 100 yen, these tasty omelettes on a skewer are made right in front of you and you can choose between sweet or savory.
Fresh Fruit and Strawberry Daifuku at Tsukiji Iroha
fter eating all that great grub, indulging in something sweet would be the perfect way to finish any meal.
Within the maze of the outer market, the odd cafe and dessert stand peeks through among the savory delights and the most recognisable is the colorful fruit display at Tsukiji Iroha.
The Tsukiji Iroha store comprises of three stands: one dedicated to fruity drinks like
banana juice, fruit jelly drinks, and shaved ice called 168 Banana, while the others specialise in the traditional Japanese sweet daifuku, fruit slices, and fruit skewers.
Though a simple fruit stick will set you back a whopping 1000 yen, the hefty price tags are not without reason. The fruits served at Tsukiji Iroha are the premium ranked variety graded on their perfection in appearance, taste, and size. Here, you can also find the famed white strawberry, Yubari King melon, and Shine Muscat grape just to name a few.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
The best way to get to Tsukiji Outer Market is by train. For many, the beginning of Tsukiji Market is instantly recognisable by the Lawson convenience store and Jonathan Family Restaurant that act as the starting point before making your way through the outer market maze. Luckily, many of the subway station exits nearby lead to this starting point.
Here are multiple subway lines that you can take:
Using the Toei Oedo Line, get off at “Tsukijishijo Station” and it will be an easy one-minute walk from the station.
The Details
4 Chome-16-2 Tsukiji, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0045
Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri and Sat
6AM – 2PM
Wed and Sun
10AM – 2PM
Mmmm. This all looks so good, Siree! Wonderful pictures, I can almost taste all the goodness.
Hope everything is going well with you (and you, too, Talyssa!) – the site’s been quiet since April, but I know that Japan has bee struggling with COVID and guessing you might not have been getting out as much. Hopefully you’re just taking some time and we’ll see you here again soon..
Now I’m getting a little worried. Are you okay, Siree? Just too busy/distracted/doing other stuff? It’s been six months and nothing from you and Talyssa…hope you are both safe and well (and vaccinated!) and hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Chief! So sorry for the absence and for worrying you!
Talyssa and I are doing well (and vaccinated woohoo!) ! We hope you and your loved ones are also doing well too!
As you have guessed correctly, we have been a bit MIA because of COVID and also we have some important plans coming up that we are busy preparing for.
We are planning to return blogging again very soon so please look forward to the adventures we will be sharing! :)
Stay safe!
Just checking in again…hope both you and Talyssa (and all your beloveds!) are well and content. We’ve moved into the Dark Ages here; late November cold and rainy. Not much to do other than stay dry and warm as possible…
It’s two months into the new year…you okay out there? Is the Thimble officially now a Ghost Blog? Hope not…but it’s ten months since this post.
Hi Chief! Thank you for checking in. No we aren’t – it’s been a crazy busy time with Covid and I also got married in December after having to postpone from a September wedding…it’s just been crazy!! My husband and I also started business in early 2020 and it’s just been manic, lots of growth in a small amount of time – it’s been hard to keep with just the two of us.
Siree and I are actuall just having a blog meeting now about getting back into the swing of things – hoping we’ll get back into posting more regularly~
Congratulations! That’s wonderful…and I remember those early days and, yes, there’s a lot more to do than fussing with the internet!! I’m so happy for you both, and wishing you lots of love and adventure ahead.
It’s just good to know you’re both well and doing well. Obviously hope to see you here again, but the good news is the most important thing.
After over a year I sadly have to conclude that our Thimblers have moved on, or have lost the mood, or…I don’t know what. But I miss you. Hope you’re well and happy.