Tokyo's popular fish market bans tourists

Tsukiji fish market is one of Tokyo's favorite tourist destinations. People get a kick out of seeing the giant freshly caught tuna being auctioned off and cheap super-fresh toro to eat. Some mornings rack up up to 500 tourists in a single morning. But local fishermen and other staff are now complaining about insensitive tourists causing more trouble than the publicity is worth. The auctions are supposed to be off limits to tourists, but since the auctioneers only speak Japanese, they can't tell foreign tourists not to watch. New Years is one of the busiest seasons for the commercial market—so to avoid unnecessary traffic then, the government decided to ban all unbuying spectators from Dec 15 to Jan 17. That'll suck for tourists who planned their trips already and were banking on seeing this, but I think it's ok to protect local industry from tourists sometimes.

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Comments

[Dragonfang18]

Why not just give them a phamplet on rules before they enter?

[vagrant]

Why not make a platform/walkway against the back wall and a bit of guidance? You could shuffle people in, then onto the platform and just keep churning them through. Enter one door onto the walkway, then exit out the other door. (I'm talking about the auction area.)

A friend knew someone that worked there and gave us a nickel tour. I still felt that we were "in the way", but it was interesting to see an auction and take photos.

As for the lot area and the carts, that's just brutal without tourists involved. Those things have battle scars, like neo-samurai riding their horses into battle.

[Vtghf]

I attempted to visit the markets about a month ago and almost gave up when we had to run the gauntlet of the carts - I honestly feared for my life.

It seems to me that they're trying to discourage tourists by not making it easy for them to visit, but it's such widely publicized "thing to do" that the tourists will come regardless and continue to get in the way.

I agree, a viewing platform for the auctions would put the tourists "out of the way" and would be easier to set up than going around to all the guide books and websites that encourage you to visit Tsukiji and telling them "no, we don't want tourists".

[Patrick]

I think the headline here is misleading. When I first visited Japan 3 years ago it was already common knowledge that the tuna auctions were off-limits to tourists. As far as I can tell, the only change is that now the ever-polite Japanese are putting their foot down and insisting that they really mean it. I see nothing in the articles to suggest that the fishmarket itself is off the menu. There's still plenty to gawk at other than the auction.

[stuz]

wo proper facilities to ensure they arent a hindrance/an interfering factor to the business tourists generally will be a pestilence. imagine them invading your work place to gleen over...

if they welcome tourist then they should provide the facilities. else shut them out