Tsukiji Uogashi is a new building that was opened on November 19th, 2016 in Tsukiji Market, world famous and beloved fish market / seafood trade center in Tokyo. It is also the biggest fish market in Japan. In Tokyo, when people talk about seafood, Tsukiji market always pop up in their minds first. Even on the TV programs, they introduce food from Tsukiji frequently. There are a lot of restaurants that serve the freshest seafood. You can taste delicious sushi or seafood bowls there. That’s why it turned out to be one of the hottest traveling spot. However, the previous governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, said that Tsukiji is getting old and dirty since it’s used for over 80 years. Besides, it is having excess load of trading, and Tsukiji is not suitable anymore. So, the plan of shifting Tsukiji Market to Toyosu Market had started.
In order to keep the culture and the spirit of Tsukiji, they decided to build this Tsukiji Uogashi building, which is an indoor seafood market. When I entered the Tsukiji Uogashi building, it was so different from a traditional fish market. It is a completely opposite experience from the old-school Tsukiji Market. It is so clean and so bright, which you can’t even smell the fishy smell. There are around 60 stores from the original Tsukiji Market move into this building. The fishes are neatly showcased on the fridge that’s full of ice. There weren’t many people, because this building is still an underdog, while the original market hasn’t shifted yet. So you can enjoy checking out some fresh seafood in a refreshed state of mind. Also, a friendly reminder that no food is allowed on the first floor of the building!
On the third floor, there is a food court. Obviously, the menus are mostly about seafood dishes. The interior design of the food court is also new and fashionable. What surprised me is that there’s a studio with brand new cooking equipment. I guess that there will be events that teach people how to make seafood dishes.
At the end of the 3rd floor, there is a bridge that takes you to the other building of Tsukiji Uogashi. It’s basically the same, except that there is a wide outdoor area on the rooftop. You can have a great view of the Tsukiji area. And it is said that the area will be used for events in the future.
Visiting the Tsukiji Uogashi building was a great new experience for someone like me, who has been to Tsukiji before. I am looking forward to this building to be more flourishing with the potential of the studio and the rooftop area. I hope that it’s not only going to carry on the spirit of Tsukiji, but also become a new go-to spot for seafood lovers in the future. If you are going to Tsukiji Market, make sure to check out the Tsukiji Uogashi building.
Info of Tsukiji Uogashi
Hours: 1/F (Shops): 9am to 3pm
3/F (Food Court): 7am to 2pm
Access: Tsukijishijo Station (Toei-Oedo Line), 1 min walk from Exit A1.
Tsukiji Station (Hibiya Line), 2 min walk from Exit 1.
Map:
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