Tokyo Fish Culture Alive in Markets and Sushi

Tokyo is home to Japan’s largest fish market, featuring more than 500 varieties of seafood from around the world. The city also boasts countless restaurants serving a wide range of fish dishes, showcasing diverse suppliers, cooking methods, and seasonings. Tokyo’s vibrant fish culture invites visitors to see, taste, and enjoy an extraordinary selection of seafood.

500 Varieties of Fish from Around the Globe

The dazzling array of fish arriving in Tokyo is breathtaking. Toyosu Market, the city’s central wholesale hub, features more than 500 varieties of seafood from across Japan and around the world. Even within a single variety, fish may be known by different regional brand names and transformed into dried fish, fish paste products, and other preparations shaped by local traditions. The result is a market whose true diversity cannot be captured by numbers alone.

“If you want to explore Japanese fish culture, just come to Tokyo,” says Ikki Nagasaki, an advocate for strengthening the fisheries industry and promoting the benefits of eating fish through a wide range of initiatives.

After graduating from college, Nagasaki worked at Tokyo’s public wholesale market, then known as Tsukiji Market. This experience gave him valuable insight into Tokyo’s reputation as a hub of fish culture, along with a deeper understanding of the people and systems that sustain the industry.

Dried seafood highlights the distinctive traits of different regions.

Sushi Geta, Tempura, and Historic Streetscapes

Nagasaki recommends sushi as a fish dish that visitors might want to try first. In particular, he encourages sampling “sushi geta,” where pieces of sushi are arranged on a wooden board shaped like traditional wooden geta sandals. “A rich variety of fish arriving in Tokyo is showcased on a single sushi geta board,” he says. “It lets you enjoy a range of fish at their seasonal peak from different regions, and it's also a feast for the eyes.”

Sushi geta lets you enjoy a variety of fish all at once.

When it comes to eating raw fish, many people think of sushi, sashimi, or seafood rice bowls. Now, Nagasaki offers a fascinating perspective: Freshness isn’t the only measure of a fish’s quality or flavor. “In Edomae-style sushi, served in stalls and restaurants since the Edo period, tuna is often aged for several days to enhance its umami flavor—the fifth basic taste discovered in Japan, which defines the distinctive flavor of dashi,” he says. Understanding these practices adds a richer dimension to the experience of eating sushi.

One of the great pleasures of eating fish in Japan, beyond raw preparations, is the variety of cooking methods, including grilling, simmering, and frying. Dishes such as tempura and simmered fish showcase these techniques beautifully. Tokyo, in particular, offers an incredible number of restaurants, allowing diners to choose not only their preferred type of fish but also the cooking style that best suits their tastes.

One of the great pleasures of eating fish in Japan, beyond raw preparations, is the variety of cooking methods, including grilling, simmering, and frying.

Tokyo not only serves delicious seafood but also offers an immersive glimpse into its rich fish culture. At Tsukiji Outer Market and Tsukiji Uogashi, numerous seafood vendors and restaurants come together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere for visitors. A stroll through the outer market is a true delight, with historic streetscapes and warm interactions with shopkeepers enriching the experience.

※ Please note that the Tsukiji Outer Market can be especially crowded toward the end of the year. For your comfort and safety, we recommend checking the latest information on the official Tsukiji Outer Market website (https://www.tsukiji.or.jp/english/) prior to your visit. In addition, we kindly ask that you review the “Tsukiji’s 8 Rules of Etiquette” (https://www.tsukiji.or.jp/english/guide/) in advance to help ensure a pleasant experience for everyone.  

You can not only see, but also easily purchase fish fillets, dried fish, and more.

Outside the Toyosu and Tsukiji areas, Nagasaki recommends Yoshiike, a large seafood specialty store in Okachimachi, a lively district at the heart of Tokyo. “Yoshiike stocks rare fish from all over Japan, letting you see a wide variety of seafood at once and enjoy a truly unique experience found only in Tokyo’s fish shops,” he says. Just stepping inside the store offers a panoramic glimpse of Japanese fish culture, sparking a genuine sense of excitement.

Expert Care in Fish Transport and Reducing Food Loss

Tokyo’s vibrant fish culture is supported by Japan’s robust seafood industry, which prides itself on its skilled manpower. Nagasaki recalls that when he worked at Tokyo’s public wholesale market, he was surprised to find that advanced IT systems had not yet been adopted and that the market still relied heavily on human expertise.

Today, he believes that fully integrating information technology into the seafood industry is challenging, due to daily fluctuations in seasonal availability, origin, and catch volumes. “It makes more sense for human expertise to manage this,” Nagasaki says. “Skilled manpower has built impressive distribution systems and networks unique to Japan’s fisheries.”

In fish transportation, for example, there are times when fish arriving at Toyosu Market from Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost region, cannot be sold in Tokyo due to insufficient buyers. In such cases, wholesalers and intermediaries draw on their extensive experience, knowledge, and networks to quickly identify demand in other regions. Using world-class practices to preserve seafood freshness, the fish is then promptly transported to where it’s needed.

Toyosu Market handles one of the largest volumes of fish in the world.

Nagasaki also emphasizes that Japan maintains minimal food loss in seafood. When fresh fish unexpectedly remains unsold at markets or fish stores, it can be processed to match its remaining quality. If any waste still occurs, efforts are made to repurpose it, such as for livestock or farmed fish feed. This careful, resourceful approach reflects the depth of knowledge and dedication that underpin Japan’s seafood industry.

Tokyo’s fish culture is a remarkable aspect of Japan, shaped by a diverse range of fish sourced globally, skilled chefs who prepare them with varied techniques, and a robust distribution network of hygienic markets. Skilled artisans, drawing on deep experience, knowledge, and connections, further contribute to this vibrant scene. Experiencing Tokyo’s fish culture—seeing, tasting, and enjoying it—is truly unforgettable.

Ikki Nagasaki
Ikki Nagasaki is the Representative Director and Seafood Expert of Sakana Production Inc., as well as the Chairman of the Sakana-no-kai Association, recognized for his expertise in fish. Born in 1984 in Tsutsuishi, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture, he contributed 18 years to his family’s fishing business. After graduating from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology in 2007, he worked at a wholesale company in Tsukiji Market and later earned a master’s degree from the same institution. Since 2006, he has led the Sakana-no-kai Association, advocating the benefits of eating fish through media appearances. His published works include “All About the Fish Business: A Fun Read for Everyone, from Food Lovers to Experts.”