Seafood and Produce for Sale

The brokerages active at Toyosu Market are essentially wholesalers, and retail sales of fish to general customers are not allowed. There are, however, events held at the market where visitors can go shopping for fish to eat.

On Saturdays through the end of March 2019, an event was held in front of the Fruit and Vegetables Building in Block 5 called the “Tasty Saturday Market.” Here, visitors could buy fresh seafood straight from the market, as well as high-quality fruit and vegetables that had been shipped there directly from where they had been grown. Popular restaurants also offered special weekly menus available only at the market through TLunch, the largest food-truck platform in Japan. All of this combined to bring ever bigger crowds to the market. Beginning in April 2019, similar events will take place on open grounds adjacent to the Intermediate Wholesale Market.

The entrance to the popular Saturday market.
The entrance to the popular Saturday market.
Fresh seafood was a big draw at the market events.
Fresh seafood was a big draw at the market events.
The TLunch food trucks gave customers another way to enjoy cuisine made with ingredients right from the market dealers.
The TLunch food trucks gave customers another way to enjoy cuisine made with ingredients right from the market dealers.

The Fruit and Vegetables Building a very modern structure, features 12 glass panes on the visitor’s walkway near the entrance. Each of these is painted with the colors of fruits and vegetables that are in season for each month of the year. Around the corners are presentation panels, and at the farthest end is an observation deck with glass walls. Here early risers can observe the produce auctions held here. There are also three restaurants below the walkway to this complex, including Daiwa-zushi, a sushi shop that’s just as popular as the celebrated Sushi-dai, drawing similar crowds beginning early in the morning. More than a few market personnel vouch that Daiwa-zushi serves the best sushi on the market grounds, and has since the Tsukiji Market era.

Toyosu Market is a place for touring, dining, and shopping, whether you have made reservations for its attractions or are making a spur-of-the-moment visit. With all it has to offer, its popularity seems set to further increase.

The Fruit and Vegetables Building, on the east side of Toyosu Market.
The Fruit and Vegetables Building, on the east side of Toyosu Market.
The colorful visitor’s walkway. Around the corners are presentation panels telling the history of the produce market.
The colorful visitor’s walkway. Around the corners are presentation panels telling the history of the produce market.
The visitor’s tour of the produce complex leads to a spacious, clean observation deck. In addition to offering a view of the Produce Wholesale floor, the deck also offers informative displays and videos.
The visitor’s tour of the produce complex leads to a spacious, clean observation deck. In addition to offering a view of the Produce Wholesale floor, the deck also offers informative displays and videos.
The produce wholesale floor is also extensive, with turret trucks going every which way.
The produce wholesale floor is also extensive, with turret trucks going every which way.
A produce auction as seen from the observation deck.
A produce auction as seen from the observation deck.
The outdoor restaurant and shop area of the Fruit and Vegetables Building, with a line forming outside Daiwa-zushi.
The outdoor restaurant and shop area of the Fruit and Vegetables Building, with a line forming outside Daiwa-zushi.

Access: Around 4 mins. from Toyosu Station or approx. 28 mins. from Shinbashi Station to Shijō-mae Station on the Yurikamome train line, then a short walk.

Refer to the official website of the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market for information on days when the market is closed.

http://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/english/toyosu/index.html

(Originally published in Japanese. Text by Kawamoto Daigo, head of the department covering fisheries at Jiji Press. Photos by Miwa Noriaki. Banner photo: A replica of a giant bluefin tuna at the Fisheries Wholesale Market Building.)