Yes, the inner wholesale Tsukiji Fish Market closed in October 2018 and moved to a new facility in Toyosu. However, the popular Tsukiji Outer Market, featuring numerous retail shops, sushi restaurants, and food stalls, remains open at the original location. The wholesale tuna auctions and main fish market are now located at the Toyosu Market.
The groundwater at the site contained contaminants that "far exceeded environmental limits", which was mitigated by installing additional water pumps. There were plans to retain a retail market, roughly a quarter of the current operation, in Tsukiji. The remaining area of the market would be redeveloped.
The famed Tsukiji Market moved in October 2018 to Toyosu, reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay. The new Toyosu Market is almost twice the size of Tsukiji, making it the biggest fish market in the world.
Tsukiji Market (築地市場) was once the world's largest fish wholesale market. Due to lack of space and aging facilities, the market was moved to a newly built market in Toyosu, Koto-ku in 2018. The Tsukiji Outer Market remains at its original location and is still a popular place visited by many tourists today.
The recent record-breaking $3.2 million bluefin tuna was caught off the coast of Oma, Japan, a northern town famous for its premium tuna, in the Tsugaru Strait, which offers rich feeding grounds. This prized fish, caught in early January 2026, was part of the traditional first auction of the year at Tokyo's Toyosu Market.
While holding hands is generally fine in Japan, kissing in public is strongly frowned upon and considered awkward or inappropriate, making it best to save passionate displays for private settings like hotels or homes, as it goes against traditional Japanese modesty and personal space norms, even if younger people are slightly more tolerant.
Old fish market in Tokyo with lots of seafood, bites, and stalls. This is a tourist trap so expect lots of tourists and inflated prices. Should definitely come and take a look and perhaps try some food, but expect crowds and outrageous prices.
Top products What's in the bag? From trolleys to T-shirts, IKEA Japan has plenty of unique products, along with popular ranges that can be found in all our stores. See what's at the top of the shopping list among our Japanese customers.
Starting in 2026, Japan has officially ended its instant tax-free shopping system for tourists. Here's what that means for YOU: You'll now pay the full price upfront, including Japan's 10% consumption tax. To get your tax back, you'll need to apply for a refund later — possibly at airports or designated counters.
Japan is a country in East Asia that is known for its unique culture and customs. One aspect of this culture has always been beauty and fashion standards, which includes the surprising fact that it is very common for women to not wear bras, even in public.
They are very picky about what is in your carry-on luggage be sure that you follow these rules: Liquids, gels and aerosols packed in carry-on must follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule:3.4 ounces or less per container 1 quart size, clear, plastic, zip top bag (all liquids must fit in bag) 1 bag per passenger ( I put most ...
Not finishing one's meal is not considered impolite in Japan, but rather is taken as a signal to the host that one wishes to be served another helping. Conversely, finishing one's meal completely, especially the rice, indicates that one is satisfied and therefore does not wish to be served any more.
Fish that's consumed raw in sushi must be frozen to -20°C (-4°F) for 7 days or -35°C (-31°F) for 15 hours. This process will destroy any parasite in the fish making it safer to consume but there's still risk.
A 500 lb bluefin tuna's worth varies wildly, from potentially thousands for a regular catch to over $3 million at Tokyo's New Year's auctions, where a 535 lb fish sold for a record $3.2 million in 2026, demonstrating extreme market hype for quality fish used in premium sushi. For fishermen, the price is much lower, often a few dollars per pound, but the top auction prices reflect quality, prestige, and demand for high-grade tuna (like otoro), not typical retail value, notes a Quora post.
A giant bluefin tuna sold for nearly $800,000 (¥114.2 million) at Tokyo's annual New Year's auction in January 2024, purchased jointly by Yamayuki and Onodera Group for their Michelin-starred Ginza Onodera restaurant, symbolizing good fortune as Japan reopened post-pandemic and serving as a high-profile start to the year.
