For over 80 years, the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market played an important role in the Tsukiji Market. It was moved in October 2018 and transformed into the Toyosu Market.

The Central Wholesale Market plays an important role in supplying food to the tables of Tokyo denizens by providing a stable source of vegetables, fish, meat, and other fresh food products at set prices gathered in one location from which they are then efficiently distributed.

The market is basically a place where merchants, such as wholesalers and intermediate wholesalers, conduct commercial transactions; in other words, it is the workplace of professional buyers.

At its original Tsukiji location, the market has drawn lots of sightseers because of all the delicious food items to be found there. Since its relocation to Toyosu, it is still possible for the public to enter some areas and enjoy delicious dishes in the restaurants and shops selling food there.

① The Toyosu Market is even larger than the Tsukiji Market!

The Tsukiji Market was large, but the Toyosu Market is massive! Tsukiji conducted the largest volume of marine products transactions in the world.

② It provides the freshest products of the highest quality

Previously, Tsukiji was an open-type facility where facilities and shops were built on-site individually. The new Toyosu Market is a closed-type facility that houses the facilities and shops in one large facility. As a result, temperature control and sanitary conditions can be managed, thus protecting food products from outside conditions to ensure and maintain their freshness.

③ Unaffected by the weather and elements, the facility is conveniently connected to the station

Being a closed-type facility, naturally, the Visitor’s Course, restaurants, and shops are also indoors. As a result, it provides a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for visitors without worry about the weather.

Market-related restaurants are all located on the third floor of each block.

④ The market opens early in the morning

As you might expect, the market opens very early in the morning. It is open from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but the shops and restaurants close at different times. This is what it looks like at 12:30. Most of the shops stay open until after noon but then close in the afternoon. If you are going to visit the market, you had better go early in the morning.

Normally business is not conducted on Sundays, holidays, and in some cases on Wednesdays, so before going it is a good idea to check the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market website.

Toyosu Market consists of three blocks divided according to the fresh foods handled and their roles in the market.

The general public and tourists cannot enter the market selling floor, but there are a variety of places people can tour as well as many areas with shops and restaurants that can be entered.

You can use the PDF from the official website to see what areas are open to the public:
http://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/toyosu/kenngaku/

The areas open to the general public are as follows.

The Fruit and Vegetables Area handles all sorts of fruit and vegetables. On the Visitor's Course, you can see fruit and vegetables color-coded by season.

The Visitor's Course, open to the general public, lets you view the workings of the market. There are a total of 12 windows on the observation deck, one for each month of the year, each listing the names of the various fruit and vegetables sold for that month, all colored-coded for the viewer’s enjoyment.

Panels providing detailed explanations about the operations of the Fruit and Vegetable Market and the people who work there are displayed in the rear observation deck enabling visitors to gain a deeper knowledge of the market.

There are restaurants and shops on the first floor!

There are a number of shops on the first floor offering tempura, sushi, soba, and other dishes.

The marine products intermediate wholesalers supply fish merchants, sushi shops, and others with marine products. Enjoy shopping, food, and the magnificent view from the roof!

There is also a Visitor's Course here, too, from which you can look down through the windows and observe the operations going on there.

On the wall of the tour course, there are lots of panels; some provide information about marine products and explain market terms, while others explain the features of seasonal fish as well as suggestions on how best to cook them. These provide tips and information useful in daily life.

Turret trucks are used to transport loads in the market. An actual one is on display in the Visitor's Course of the marine products intermediate wholesaler area. It is a good photo spot because you can have photos taken of yourself standing on it.

On the fourth floor of the maritime products intermediate wholesalers area, there is an area called Uogashi Yokocho where anyone can shop!

There is an escalator a little bit beyond the end of the course you can take up to Uogashi Yokocho on the 4th floor or use the stairs. There are approximately 69 vendors here selling tools and food products used by professionals and people affiliated with the market. It is also possible for members of the general public to shop for various goods here.

Toyosu Market Restaurants are located on the third floor

This is the third floor of the marine products intermediate wholesaler building. The entrance is before the entrance to the marine products intermediate wholesaler area; you can use the pedestrian walkway that connects each area.

As for the food served, it goes without saying that it is fresh seafood from the market. Popular shops relocated from Tsukiji can also be found here.

There is a Rooftop Garden on top of the marine products intermediate wholesaler area. You can get to it by taking the escalator before the entrance to the restaurants.

The wide-open space has a lawn.

On a clear day it is possible to see Tokyo Tower, the Rainbow Bridge, and the Tokyo Bay area. There are no benches and taking food and drink to this area is forbidden.

A pathway goes directly from the station to the entrance on the third floor. Directly inside is the spacious restaurant area. Popular shops relocated from Tsukiji line this area selling all types of gifts and food items.

This is the public relations corner with information about the entire Toyosu Market.

All the essential information to questions such as what sort of products are handled and what the market is exactly can be learned here. Stopping by here first and getting an idea of the market overall is a good idea before exploring it.

You can even take a photo of yourself with this large tuna if you like!

The main attraction of the market is the tuna auction. You can watch it in the Marine Products Wholesaler Area.

From the Management Offices go down this corridor and it will take you to the observation deck in the Marine Products Wholesaler Area.

Marine products from Japan and abroad are sold at auction to intermediate wholesalers by wholesalers in this Marine Products Wholesaler Area.

The floor where tuna is sold in the Marine Products Area is green because the red of the tuna stands out better against a green background. The tuna auction begins at 5:30 in the morning and lasts about an hour. You can observe it from the course window.

The glass enclosure shown in the right of the photo is the booth from which the auction can be viewed. The auctions began from Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Here you can get a real sense and feel of the atmosphere of the auction listening to the traders’ banter.

To get to the Toyosu Market take the Yurikamome Tokyo Rinkai New Transit Line (New Transit Yurikamome for short) and get off at the Shijo-mae Station, then go straight after exiting the ticket gates and this will take you directly to the market.

You can also get to it by Metropolitan buses departing from in front of the JR Shimbashi Station and the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line Toyocho Station.

New Transit Yurikamome
Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line Toyosu Station ~ New Transit Yurikamome Shijo-mae Station
Travel time: 8 minutes

Metropolitan Bus
Get off at the Toyosu Market bus stop
Shimbashi ~ Toyosu Market travel time: about 25 ~ 40 minutes *25 ~ 35 minutes by express
Toyocho ~ Toyosu Market travel time: about 30 ~ 35 minutes

The Toyosu Market is still brand new so it is easy to see all of the areas easily. We especially recommend it to those who have never been there before!

Also be sure to check out articles related to recommended places to eat, gifts shops, and take-out restaurants as well as the Q&A for learning more about Toyosu Market.