Tsukiji Outer Market is probably one of the most mentioned attractions in Tokyo. Despite the shift of the fish market to Toyosu Fish Market, the neighbouring Tsukiji Outer Market attracts visitors from all over the world and is famous for being a spot filled with different Japanese food stalls.
With so many food stalls to choose from, what are some spots worth queuing for? Here are some food items you need to try when visiting Tsukiji Outer Market.
Yamacho
If there’s one thing that everyone eats at Tsukiji, it’s got to be the Egg Omelette Stick from Yamacho. Despite the long snaking queues, the stall clears the crowd at a fast rate.
Priced at an affordable rate of 100 yen (that’s roughly 1 SGD) for each omelette stick, the piping hot omelette (tamagoyaki) is best eaten immediately, right next to the store. The fluffy egg stick is savoury and sweet at the same time!
Maguroya Kurogin
The first shop in the Kansai region to carry Pacific Bluefin Tuna with its other outlet located in Osaka, Maguroya Kurogin has probably one of the longest queues in Tsukiji Market.
Offering different cuts of tuna in various forms such as rice bowls, sushi and even sashimi, you might have some difficulty picking out what to try. Luckily, they offer rice bowls and sushi that have a combination of lean tuna, medium fatty tuna, and fatty tuna.
One of the menu items we tried was the Sushi Platter (2,500 Yen) which came with the 3 different types of tuna, and our favourite was the medium fatty tuna which had the perfect balance of fat and meat.
We realized that customers we chose the pre-packaged sushi items on display were served first, but if you order from the menu, the food items will only be prepared upon order, which means a slightly longer waiting time.
Kitsuneya
One of the most popular stores in Tsukiji Market is surprisingly not seafood related. Kitsuneya serves up gyu-don (beef bowls) that have been widely featured in the media, such as the Korean variety show, Street Food Fighter hosted by chef Baek Jong-won.
The stall still uses non-disposable bowls and cutlery, which means you’ll have to eat at the spots provided right in front of the restaurant. As a result, the queues can be quite long.
The menu here is simple, Kitsuneya serves up a Beef Bowl (800 Yen) and Motsuni Bowl (900 Yen) which is a braised intestine bowl. They also have an option to add a soft-boiled egg/raw egg to the rice bowl at a price of 50 Yen.
We thought the Motsuni Bowl was a more interesting option and definitely one that even non-intestine lovers could stomach. The pieces of intestine weren’t gamey and had a nice texture to them. Coupled with the sweet, savoury sauce, this bowl was worth the wait.
Tsukiji Sanokiya
Taiyaki is quite a common snack in Japan and usually comes in the shape of tai, which is red sea bream. Over at Tsukiji Market, Tsukiji Sanokiya serves us taiyaki in the shape of tuna!
Apart from the usual flavours such as red bean and custard, Tsukiji Sanokiya serves an apricot & red bean filling which was one of the more unique ones in our opinion. You can also get the snack in either a crispy version or a soft version.
We opted for the soft version which reminded us slightly of mochi, along with the refreshing apricot & red bean filling.
Miyake Suisan
Miyake Suisan looks like your typical seafood vendor, with lots of different types of seafood on display. However, you can also some of the freshest seafood in this unique environment. They have an assortment of sashimi which includes items like salmon, octopus, tuna, yellowtail, scallops etc for 1,100 yen.
We opted for a box of octopus (500 Yen) and the texture wasn’t rubbery or chewy at all! It simply tasted clean and was tender with each bite.
Food At Tsukiji Market Tokyo
Apart from these 5 food stalls we mentioned in this article, there is definitely more to explore at Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo, with other notable mentions such as Tonboya and Sushi Zanmai located within the area.
This guide is not a definitive list to follow, and we highly recommend you explore the market on your own when you visit Tokyo.
*This article is based on our latest trip to Japan in Dec 2022.
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