Toyosu Tuna Auction & Tsukiji Local Food Tour, Licensed Guide

This was a highly informative tour that we enjoyed very much. We learned a lot about the tuna auction, the history of Tokyo's fish markets, and the current Toyosu Fish Market. The sushi breakfast afterwards was a lovely addition to the experience. Overall, it was a enjoyable and interesting experience, largely thanks to our guide Toru, who is extremely knowledgeable, speaks excellent English, and is a very pleasant and friendly person. We can absolutely recommend this tour.

We had a great experience at the tuna auction and Tsukiji Market. Our guide, Sam, was excellent. He was proactive with communicating about the time he would arrive at our hotel a few days before the tour. He was very knowledgeable about the auction and market.

Toru is a very nice guy, trustworthy and on time. He gave us good information about the fishmarket and background. Very patient with our questions and guiding the tour. We were very comfortabel during the tour.

Goreilo was a great guide!! He was early so there was no wasted time waiting. At the market he was very informative and made us very comfortable quickly. Additionally, his English was exceptional and clear. I would highly recommend for any tour he offers.

My parents went on a tour with Toru Higaki and they only had really good things to say about it! Toru was super organised, thoughtful, and well on the ball from the get go. I felt very reassured about my parents going on the tour. My parents had this to say - Toru gave clear directions so we were always in the right spots to watch the tuna and fish auctions. He has good knowledge of the procedures with interesting commentary in good English. Then he brought us to a sushi shop within Toyosu Market. A skilful chef prepared sushi of different cut. Talk about having freshest sushi. Great experience worth getting up at unearthly hour.

Toru was outstanding. I like the way he communicated with us before the tour. Everything went very smooth. The tour, and the breakfast was a +10.

Toru Higaki was an outstanding guide. He met us early to ensure great viewing of the Toyusu fish market. Explained the process and expectations of the auction. It was very exciting. He then took us to an outstanding sushi restaurant right in the market. So fresh and flavorful and what a bargain. It’s a must do. He then took us to Tsukiji for the outer market what a place and his knowledge was again great he even took through where the wholesalers buy.

What an amazing morning we had at the Toyosu fish market/auction followed by a very special sushi breakfast right next to the market. Katsu Hayama (Goreilo), our guide, was so knowledgeable and easy to understand - his energy and enthusiasm for the inner workings of the market, the industry and the local area and culture made this tour very special. Many of our friends had tried to do this on their own - we would say please make sure to use Goreilo for this tour - fabulous!

What an amazing morning we had at the Toyosu fish market/auction followed by a very special sushi breakfast right next to the market. Katsu Hayama (Goreilo), our guide, was so knowledgeable and easy to understand - his energy and enthusiasm for the inner workings of the market, the industry and the local area and culture made this tour very special. Many of our friends had tried to do this on their own - we would say please make sure to use Goreilo for this tour - fabulous!

Toru was an amazing guide, very informative and professional. We had fun and learned a lot about the auction. Highly recommend the sushi breakfast following the tour.

Turo was a fantastic guide, very informative and fun! We highly recommend this tour!

We enjoyed our excellent tour of the Toyosu Tuna auction and Tsukiji market with our guide, Toru. We learned so much about the process of the auction and how the tuna are fished. I feel we overwhelmed Toru with questions at times, but he graciously answered everything. We joined him afterwords for the sushi breakfast, which was an experience as fun as the auction. I will warn you - it's a lot of sushi! Toru also gifted us some small origami which we have kept as mementos of our trip.

Excellent tour of the Toyosu Tuna Auction and Tsukiji Market. Our guide Toru was very knowledgeable, informative, and personable. I would highly recommend this tour.

We had a tour booked with Toru yesterday. He was extremely prompt and detailed with the meeting spot well in advance and he was precisely on time at 450 am to meet us at the designated site. He was fantastic! Very knowledgeable and easy to interact with. He took us to have sushi after the auction and then we took a bus to the outer Tsukiji market and we saw all the things that we typically like to explore at markets. Toru we would recommend as a superb guide, without reservation, and in the highest possible terms. Great morning!

Excellent tour of the Toyosu Tuna auction and Tsukiji market. Our guide Toru was very knowledgeable, interesting, and personable. I would highly recommend this tour.

Toru made our tuna auction experience unique. His English was perfect and his knowledge about the history of Japan was profound. What we found most beautiful was his passion for guiding people into the Japanese culture and answering any doubts we had. My wife and I would definitely recommend Toru as a guide through out the city. He was very kind and patience. If we ever have another opportunity to visit Japan, or any family member, we would contact Toru again.

Outstanding experience at the Toyosu tuna auction with Toru as our guide! From the start, Toru was incredibly clear with his instructions, making sure we arrived at exactly the right spots at the right times and giving us all the accurate details we needed to take part in the first-floor viewing lottery. As an English speaker, I really appreciated how easy he made the whole process — navigating the auction logistics on your own could be confusing, but Toru unlocked the full experience for us. After the auction, we sat down for a sushi breakfast where we got to try every part of the tuna. It was hands down the best sushi I've ever had, and having Toru explain each piece as we went made it so much more than just a meal — it was a genuine education in tuna and how the market works. His knowledge of Toyosu (and Tsukiji, which we explored together afterward) was clearly deep and came from real passion for the subject. Toru was kind, patient, and generous with his expertise the entire time. This tour ended up being the absolute highlight of our trip, and I can't recommend him highly enough to anyone visiting Tokyo who wants a real, insider look at the tuna auction and market culture. Five stars, without hesitation.

Masami was truly genuine and wonderful as a guide. He was efficient and communicative throughout. He knew the best places for shopping. We learned a lot and had an excellent experience. Thank you!

Toru was an amazing guide. So knowledgeable about the auction as well as the whole fish industry. Answered all our questions in great detail. The sushi restaurant aftermath auction was some of the best sushi we had on our whole trip. He seemed to know everyone in the market and took us to great stalls. Great conversation, learned a bunch and had some amazing tastes. Would highly recommend him to everyone.

Got up early and met our guide Toru to see the tuna auction. It was great. He was very knowledgable and answered all my questions. As a lawyer I ask a lot of questions. Some guides get annoyed not Toru. I learned a lot. We also sampled the tuna at a very reasonable price and what made it even bettter was Toru interpreted for us so we could communicate with the chef and understand the sequence and nature of each course and cut of tuna. I also ate the biggest oyster I have ever had and I chose the smallest one. I am from Florida so we have oysters but not that big. It was very fresh and delicious.

Toru-san was a fantastic guide for the tuna auction and market. You can tell that he genuinely enjoys teaching people about how the auction works, making sure you don't miss a thing. After the auction, we had the most delicious and fresh sushi right at the new market, and then took a short bus ride to the old tuna market where Toru showed us around the various stalls and we tasted even more delicious food. Thank you for a fantastic experience Toru! Pro tip - book this tour for the first morning following your arrival since it starts before 5am. Easier on the family when you're still jet lagged!

The Toyosu Tuna Auction and Tsukiji food market was an amazing experience thanks to our guide, Toru-san. Watching the auction, both leading up to it and then seeing the auction in action with the rows of tuna (bluefin, yellowfin and others). Toru-san's explanations were so helpful as he pointed out the participant dynamics and where & when to direct our attention to different parts of the auction floor to catch the nuances. My family's level of Japanese is extremely limited but Toru-san's English is superb and answered all of our questions. Toru-san contacted us well ahead of time and provided detailed instructions. The viewing gallery is relatively small given the number of observers that ended up going so I was extremely grateful that Toru-san knew exactly where to go allowing my family to literally get front-row viewing of the auction from the observation deck. Immediately after watching the tuna auction from two line-of-sight observation points Toru-san took us to a fresh sushi place where we all enjoyed various types of sashimi. My son, who hardly eats much sushi here in NYC, ate every single piece of the mini-omakase course that was served at the restaurant in the auction building complex. I want to note that we felt extremely lucky and privileged that our trip coincided at a time when the JPY was at one of the lowest points in the past 40 years relative to the USD so the value of this tour was unparalleled. Toru-san was very accommodating with our requests and preferences which became evident when he guided us through the Tsukiji market and old auction building complex. It was clear that Toru-san not only possesses so much knowledge, but also has been a guide for long enough that he knows many of the market vendors. We ate fresh oysters, sampled various types of homemade dashi, had a semi-private display exhibition (in English) at a Japanese knife shop, and were very lucky to see a recently purchased bluefin tuna up close as were walking inside of the wholesaler purchaser's market which evidently doesn't always happen. We've been on many tours, and this tour was by far the best one on our Japan trip, mainly because of the knowledge, insights, fresh food, value and our incredible guide Toru-san. ありがとうございます透さん!

Shuji was a wonderful & highly knowledgeable guide for both the auction and market. He picked us up early directly from our hotel & brought us to the market - super easy. Was super interesting to learn more about the tuna auction while watching it. Then he was a great guide in the market, helping us find all we wanted to try. Had some incredible Wagyu, wonderful grapes, and the best tuna sushi we have had for the entire trip. Thank you!

Fantastic opportunity to have an authentic experience. Loved the auction, sushi breakfast and the market. Our guide Toru was professional, communicated in a timely manner and answered all our questions. A must do in Toyko!

I booked Toru Higaki for my 10 July 2026 Toyosu & Tsukuji Market trip. From the day I booked my tour in June to today, he maintained excellent communication with me, with great attention to every detail of our tour at Toyosu and Tsukuji. He was super kind and super professional and super knowledgeable as a guide. I was very pleased to get to know someone like Toru Higaki in Tokyo, I think he represents Japan with great integrity and responsibility and I highly recommend him as a guide in Tokyo. Dr.Sophia Ulgen

The Toyosu tuna auction experience was incredible. I have always wanted to see the auction but until this trip had not managed to fit it into my itinerary. So on this trip I decided to make the early morning effort to see it and in the process I was fortunate to win the lottery and get an even better view of the whole experience ! A shout out to my guide who made the experience first rate, Katsu-San. Katsu-sans knowledge of the market and the tuna auction process, and his enthusiasm to share it, was exceptional. I would recommend him and the tour without hesitation . I would not have understand what I was seeing without his guidance and good humour.

We had an excellent tour of Toyosu and Tsukiji with Toru, our guide. He was very friendly and easy to communicate with prior to and during the tour; he was very knowledgeable about the tuna auction and was able to provide interesting nuance. He also arranged an amazing sushi breakfast for our family, and introduce led us to friendly merchants and artisans at the Tsukiji market. I highly recommend touring with Toru!

Toru was an AMAZING host and tour guide. He went above and beyond with communication prior, during, and after to make sure my Son and I had an incredible experience. He was unbelievably knowledgeable and catered the tour to what we wanted as well. The sushi breakfast was unreal! Learning all about both Toyosu and Tsukiji markets was an experience we will never forget. 10 out of 10 for sure!!

My family including two teenage sons had a fantastic morning with Gorelio!! He was prompt meeting us at our hotel and then we took a taxi to the tuna auction. Very knowledgeable about the auction process and was able to provide us with visual guides. We then took a bus to the outdoor market. He was able to recommend some excellent stalls to eat at! Highly recommend this tour and guide!

If you’re considering the Toyosu Fish Market tuna auction, book a tour with Goreilo—you won’t regret it! He was incredibly knowledgeable, funny, and witty, making the entire experience both educational and entertaining. What really set him apart was that he graciously entered the lottery on our behalf for the premium tuna auction viewing spots…and we actually got them! It made an already amazing experience unforgettable. After the auction, he took us through the Tsukiji Outer Market, sharing fascinating insights, pointing out hidden gems, and recommending the best food stalls and shops. His local knowledge saved us time and helped us experience places we never would have found on our own. If you want an engaging guide who truly goes above and beyond, I can’t recommend Goreilo highly enough. This was one of the highlights of our trip to Tokyo!

Goreilo (Katsu) gave us an absolutely incredible tour of the Toyosu and Tsukiji fish markets easily one of the highlights of our entire trip to Tokyo! His knowledge was remarkable. He walked us through the history and inner workings of the fish auctions in impressive detail, and made sure we had a great vantage point to take it all in. By the end, we felt like we truly understood what makes these markets so special and iconic. After the auction, he brought us to a fantastic spot for a sushi breakfast — the perfect way to cap off the Toyosu experience. He then guided us through the outer Tsukiji market, pointing out the best stalls and helping us navigate what can otherwise be an overwhelming place. He was funny, personable, and incredibly patient with all of our questions — and we had a lot of them! His English was excellent, which made everything seamless and easy. If you’re visiting Tokyo and want an expert, engaging guide for the fish markets, this tour is an absolute must. Highest recommendation!

This was our first time visiting a fish market, and from the time we booked the experience, Toru-san has been amazing. He helped us get to Toyosu market, where the tuna auction takes place, at the right time to get the best views and explained everything about how the auction works and made sure we didn't miss anything. (You will need a knowledgeable tour guide because everything happens so fast and you might miss it!) We learned so much during such a short time about how the delicious tuna you eat at a sushi restaurant ends up in front of you. After the auction Toru-san took us to Okame, a great sushi restaurant, where we got to experience delicious sushi breakfast. Our next stop was Tsukiji market, and again we got to try all sorts of food and learn more about the market and got to meet some of the vendors. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. If you are interested in cooking, Japanese cuisine, or know someone home, this tour will give you the opportunity to do some shopping for unique souvenirs. We had to get to Toyosu market before 5 am, and while you might think it's too early, but why not do something fun and delicious with your jetlag? It was so worth it and I'm glad we chose to spend our first morning in Tokyo with Toru-san. The other advantage of being so early was that the market was not as crowded and we got to enjoy our time without having to wait in line. Thank you, Toru-san!

The tour was great. We got to learn a lot about sushi and really enjoyed our time in the market as well.

Toru was a fantastic guide and made our experience one to remember. He picked us up from the hotel and clearly knew how to be there early to get a good view. He also took us to a delicious sushi place thereafter which the whole family enjoyed.

We had a great time touring the local markets and fish auction. We were lucky enough to get the lottery tickets so we were able to view in the first floor. Either experience is fascinating and the coordination and communication was easy and flexible.

Altogether this was one of our favorite things we’ve done in Japan, the activity was incredible but even better was having Toru as our guide. He is a fun, kind, knowledgeable man. He had answers to our questions and shared a lot of interesting facts to share as we learned about the auction. This was well worth waking up early for, and was our favorite activity of the trip so far.

Mr. Isao Kito was a wonderful guide. He picked us up directly from our hotel, and together we took a taxi to the Toyosu Tuna Market. He encouraged us to apply for the lottery to watch the tuna auction from the second-floor viewing area, which we were lucky enough to experience. It was absolutely incredible. Mr. Kito was highly knowledgeable and explained everything in a way that made the experience even more meaningful. After the auction, we enjoyed an amazing omakase sushi breakfast with some of the freshest fish we’ve ever had. The owner and head sushi chef prepared delicious sushi paired with sake, making it even more special. Afterward, we explored the Tsukiji Market together, and Mr. Kito also shared great recommendations for restaurants and places to visit during our stay. I truly cannot say enough good things about this experience. Beyond being an excellent guide, we genuinely felt like we gained a friend. The experience was warm, personal, and unforgettable. The next time we visit Japan, we absolutely plan to meet up with him again. I highly recommend this tour and would definitely book with him again.

Mr. Isao Kito was a wonderful guide. He picked us up directly from our hotel, and together we took a taxi to the Toyosu Tuna Market. He encouraged us to apply for the lottery to watch the tuna auction from the second-floor viewing area, which we were lucky enough to experience. It was absolutely incredible. Mr. Kito was highly knowledgeable and explained everything in a way that made the experience even more meaningful. After the auction, we enjoyed an amazing omakase sushi breakfast with some of the freshest fish we’ve ever had. The owner and head sushi chef prepared delicious sushi paired with sake, making it even more special. Afterward, we explored the Tsukiji Market together, and Mr. Kito also shared great recommendations for restaurants and places to visit during our stay. I truly cannot say enough good things about this experience. Beyond being an excellent guide, we genuinely felt like we gained a friend. The experience was warm, personal, and unforgettable. The next time we visit Japan, we absolutely plan to meet up with him again. I highly recommend this tour and would definitely book with him again.

Amazing experience with our awesome guide Katsu Hayama (Goreilo). He was very friendly and knowledgeable and his English was great. This was a fascinating tour and a highlight of our trip for sure.

We had an absolutely incredible experience with our guide, Toru, at the Tokyo fish markets. We started very early at the famous tuna auction at Toyosu Market, which was fascinating to see in person. Afterwards, Toru took us for the most amazing tuna sushi breakfast — honestly some of the best sushi we have ever had. Without him, we never would have known where to go. Toru was exceptionally knowledgeable and answered every single question we had with so much detail and enthusiasm. You could really tell how passionate he is about Tokyo, its food culture, and the fish markets. After Toyosu, we explored the old Tsukiji Market, and this is where having Toru as a guide made all the difference. He brought us to the very best stalls, pointed out specialties we would never have noticed as tourists, and encouraged us to try things we otherwise would have walked right past. It truly felt like having an insider showing us around. Toru made the entire experience seamless, fun, informative, and unforgettable. We cannot recommend him highly enough — this was one of the highlights of our trip to Tokyo!

The Toyosu Fish Market is a huge collection of buildings and in one of them, you may watch the live tuna auction that occurs 5 early mornings of the week. We were so glad to have arranged the tour because we had such a wonderful guide, Toru. We were a group of four women who had arrived from New York City and Taiwan just the day before. We thought that we would have our best chance of getting up early enough to make it to the 5 AM Toyosu market if we did it while jet lag was in place. Toru was in touch with us from the moment we booked several months ago up until we were safely in the proper location to meet him. His directions were detailed and clear, and included a labeled map and directions in Japanese to show our taxi driver. (Unfortunately our uber driver mistakenly dropped us off at the wrong entrance but Toru was able to find us quickly. ) He led us to the viewing area above the auction floor. He explained how the auction worked, pointed out the sellers and buyers, the varieties of tuna and expertly discussed our questions about procedure, pricing, and dispatch of the tuna. Having watched the Omnivore episode on tuna, it was great to see it in action. After the conclusion of the auction, he had offered us to have breakfast at a sushi restaurant in the market which offered the tuna from that morning! The offerings were so delicious and you could really taste the freshness. The chef explained each piece as he presented them to us, sometimes using photographs on his menu. Our next stop was to an intermediate sellers market where we were able to browse and purchase food items. The entire tour was made so much more worthwhile having Toru teach and guide us through it all. I highly recommend signing up for this tour!

My guide was Toru. He was amazing! Very knowledgeable. We were the first online and had the best view. After, we went to an amazing sushi restaurant that had the best sushi I had ever eaten in my entire life. Toru knew the owner which helped. You should definitely do this tour and ask for Toru. He is a very kind person.

My tour guide Toru was amazing. We were the first to get in line and get the best viewing possible. He thoroughly explained everything about the auction. Afterwards, we went to the most amazing sushi restaurant that Toru knows the owner. Best Sushi I have ever eaten! Do yourself a favor, and book this tour with Toru.

Iseo did a great job! We really appreciated his efforts (and success) in getting us lottery tickets for best viewing of the tuna auction. His recommendation that we go afterwards to the old site of the market/auction for a walking and shopping experience was excellent. he also helped us find the right subway to get back to our hotel. All and all, a most excellent experience.

We had such a wonderful tour with Kris! He was very knowledgeable and kept things so fun. Meeting and transport were seamless and stress-free. This was a wonderful memory of our time in Tokyo!

The gentleman was highly knowledgeable, friendly, accommodating, and a joy to have guide me through my experience. Would be happy to recommend him to anyone.

We have a wonderful time with that tour guide, Turu Higaki. He led us on a fabulous tour of the fish auction and then we had probably some of the best sushi I've ever had. He then took us for a tour of some of the reseller shops. He was very nice and very knowledgeable and did a good job of guiding our family of 7.

Toru made the auction experience more than wonderful!!!!! He is a very knowledgable Guide and great person he recommended wonderful restaurants and tips in the market as well

really cool tour of the fish market, he was very friendly and super knowledgeable and took us to a really amazing market afterwards. he was amazing to spend time with! would highly recommend.