The final day the auction will open to the public will be on Sept 15th, 2018
Tsukiji Tuna Auction Tours
Some people say this is THE thing to do when in Tokyo. Be ready for a very early start - on some days the registration process is closed as early as 3:30am!
You will get to see bluefin tuna - some weighing more than 200kgs - going for more than 10,000 USD a fish. Auctions are usually held every day of the week except Sundays and some Wednesdays.
Rate : Up to three people 20,000 JPY (including hotel pick-up to most central locations within central Tokyo)
Notes : Due to our policy, we don't accept a tuna auction tour and a full day tour on the same day. The tour rate does not include the taxi fare from your hotel to auction area. (Public transportation is not running in the early morning)
After registration, visitors will have to sit in a small waiting room with the 120 other participants, and during this wait you will be given a briefing of what to expect during the auction.
The auction will take place from 5:25-5:50 (first group) or 5:50-6:25 (second group) You can make good use of the waiting time by asking your guide anything about Tokyo and Japan in general, or about your itinerary while here. Once we have watched the auctions, the guide will assist in finding you a taxi to return to your hotel or you also have the choice of taking mass transit to your next destination as the trains will be running by then.
Flash photography is strictly prohibited during the auction. In the rare case registration is already closed when we arrive, a partial refund of 5,000 JPY will be given and a tour of the surrounding market will be given.
Not so sure about starting your day so early?
You can visit the wholesale zone after it opens to the public after 10am. Many of the tuna that is auctioned off earlier in the morning make its way here, and are sliced into smaller options for the chefs and professional buyers. If you are lucky, you can see a tuna being dismantled right in front of you.
Whether you choose to visit the auction or the wholesale area later in the day, keep in mind Tsukiji Fish Market is closing down this November and moving to a more modern (but probably not as exciting) location a few kilometers away in Toyosu.
Important notice: Photography is no longer allowed inside the wholesale zone. The restriction went into effect December 2016.