How can I see the Toyosu tuna auction?
Updated October 27, 2026
Quick answer
Be at Toyosu Market's Fisheries Wholesale Market Building (Block 7) between about 5:30 and 6:30, when the tuna auction runs. Anyone can watch for free through the second-floor windows from 5:00 without booking; to stand on the lower observation deck you need a place in an online lottery for 100 people a day (JNTO Tourist Information Center sheet, December 2025).
The market is closed on Sundays, national holidays and a list of extra days, mostly Wednesdays, so check the calendar before you set an alarm. The market is one Yurikamome stop from Shin-Toyosu, the station for teamLab Planets, which opens at 08:00: an auction followed by an early museum slot is one of the easiest pairings in Tokyo.
What time the auction runs
The tuna auction takes place around 5:30 to 6:30 in the morning, and visitor entry to the market starts at 5:00 (JNTO-TIC, December 2025). Bidding is fast, and by the end of the hour most of the fish are sold, so arrive by 5:30. Shijo-mae Station on the Yurikamome is one minute's walk from the market; check the first train of the day from your station, because a late start means missing most of the auction. A taxi is the fallback from central Tokyo.
The upper gallery without a booking
Visitors may watch the tuna auction through windows on the second floor of the Fisheries Wholesale Market Building, from 5:00, with no reservation needed (JNTO-TIC). The walkway looks down onto the auction floor through glass. Each of the three market buildings has observation windows over its own wholesale floor, and the visitor route is free.
The lower deck lottery
The Tuna Auction Observation Deck is on a lower floor, closer to the action. A place requires an advance online application on the market's lottery site (toyosu.jcdlotterysite.jp), open only for a set period in the month before your visit. 100 people a day are chosen by lottery, and results come by email or on the same site (JNTO-TIC, December 2025). The market does not accept applications for early-morning tuna viewing from 25 December to 5 January (Tokyo Metropolitan Government). Visits are free.
Closed days to check
Toyosu Market is closed on Sundays (except 27 December 2026), on national holidays (except 6 May and 23 September 2026) and on extra days each month. The remaining extra closures in 2026 are 28 October, 11 and 18 November, and 2, 9, 16, 23 and 31 December (JNTO-TIC 2026 business calendar). Restaurants and shops keep their own hours, and visitor entry ends at 17:00.
Tours that include the auction
None of the guided tours sold on this site goes to the auction itself. The teamLab Planets and Toyosu Market tour visits the market with a guide but runs later in the day, and one review of it found the market empty on an afternoon departure. For the auction, go on your own at 5:00: it costs nothing. More on the market's buildings and restaurants is in our Toyosu Market guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Toyosu tuna auction free to watch?
Yes. The upper gallery is free and needs no booking, and the lower observation deck is free for lottery winners.
Do I need to book to see the tuna auction?
Only for the lower observation deck, through the online lottery. The second-floor windows are open to everyone from 5:00.
Can I see the tuna auction on Sunday?
No. The market is closed on Sundays, apart from 27 December 2026, and on national holidays.
How much did the record tuna sell for?
A 243 kg bluefin tuna sold for ¥510 million at the New Year auction on 4 January 2026, a record (Wikipedia).
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