Tsukiji Outer Market History

This walk takes you through the bustling lanes of Tokyo’s historic food market, where generations of fishmongers and chefs sourced their ingredients, tools, and spiritual protection.

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1. Tsukiji Hongwan-ji Temple

The stone exterior of Tsukiji Hongwan-ji features carved lotus flowers and rounded arches, a departure from the traditional wooden architecture of Japanese temples. Architect Chuta Ito designed this structure in nineteen thirty-four after…

2. Tsukiji Masamoto

A slender wooden shopfront sits on a corner, marked by a sign displaying the name Tsukiji Masamoto in bold, crisp characters. Inside, rows of steel blades line the walls, ranging from thick cleavers to delicate, needle-thin sashimi knives.…

3. Tsukiji Yamacho

The bright yellow sign marked with the kanji for mountain stands out against the gray concrete of the outer market. Tsukiji Yamacho began as a specialized egg shop, serving professional sushi chefs who demanded a specific texture and…

4. Ichifuji

The Ichifuji building stands out with its heavy, dark stone facade and the deep-set, recessed windows that seem to push back against the bustle of Chuo. It began as a specialized supplier for the kimono trade, serving the refined tastes of…

5. Akiyama

Akiyama displays a facade of dark, weathered wood that stands in stark contrast to the surrounding glass and steel office towers of Chuo. This narrow shop, established in nineteen twenty-two, maintains the tradition of selling handmade…

6. Tsukiji Uogashi - Odawarabashi Building

The Tsukiji Uogashi Odawarabashi Building displays a facade of light-colored, horizontal aluminum louvers that distinguish it from the older, weathered structures nearby. This facility opened in two thousand sixteen to house wholesalers…

7. Namiyoke Shrine

The Namiyoke Shrine features a massive, bright red torii gate that stands in stark contrast to the surrounding industrial sprawl of the Tsukiji district. During the mid seventeenth century, the shogunate struggled to reclaim land from the…

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