Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your booked start time. Meet in front of the sushi restaurant “Sushizanmai Bekkan” (Annex). Your guide will be waiting on the right side of the building as you face it from the street.
There are several Sushizanmai restaurants in Tsukiji. Please make sure you come to the Bekkan (Annex) location. Wait outside for your guide; do not enter the restaurant. SMILING TOKYO operates independently of Sushizanmai. Please contact us for assistance rather than asking restaurant staff.
The tour starts promptly, and late arrivals may not be able to join. Please allow extra travel time.
This approximately two-hour experience includes a guided market walk followed by sushi making. Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes. Allow some flexibility afterward, as the experience may finish slightly later than scheduled.
Please travel light. Large suitcases and oversized luggage are not recommended for walking through the market.
Some market shops accept cash only. Bring Japanese yen in small denominations if you would like to make purchases. Additional food, drinks, and personal shopping are not included.
Some wholesale and specialty shops may be closed on Wednesdays, Sundays, and market holidays. The walking route and stops may vary according to shop opening hours and conditions on the day.
The market walking tour has a maximum of 8 participants. The sushi-making class accommodates up to 20 participants and may be shared with guests who booked the class separately.
Please tell us about allergies or dietary requirements by the day before your tour. Vegetarian and vegan options are available with advance notice. Halal adjustments are possible where feasible, but SMILING TOKYO is not halal-certified. Kosher requests require individual consultation. Same-day dietary requests may not be accommodated.
Children of all ages are welcome. Children ages 0–2 may accompany their family free of charge without a separate seat or sushi-making experience. Book a paid child place if they wish to make sushi. Discounted child rates are available for ages 3–9.
All sushi prepared during the class must be eaten at the venue during the session. Takeout is not permitted, including leftovers.
If you plan to bring a stroller or use a wheelchair, please contact us in advance to discuss the market walking route and access requirements. The sushi classroom is on the third floor with elevator access.
The sushi-making class involves handling raw fish. Please refrain from participating if you feel unwell.
Hotel pickup, hotel drop-off, and transportation to and from the meeting point are not included.
** Frequently Asked Questions **
Q: What is included in SMILING TOKYO’s Tsukiji Market tour and sushi-making experience?
A: This experience combines a guided walk through Tsukiji Outer Market with a hands-on sushi-making class and a meal. Explore the market with a local host, make 10 pieces of sushi, arrange them beautifully in a handcrafted wooden bento box, and enjoy the sushi you made.
Q: How long does the Tsukiji Market tour and sushi-making experience take?
A: The complete experience takes approximately two hours: around one hour exploring Tsukiji Outer Market and around one hour making, arranging, and eating your sushi. The experience may occasionally finish slightly later than scheduled.
Q: What will I discover during the guided Tsukiji Market walk?
A: Your local host introduces Tsukiji Outer Market’s lively lanes, specialty shops, Japanese ingredients, and food-related tools. Learn what unfamiliar ingredients are used for and how the market’s shops connect to everyday Japanese cooking. The route and stops vary according to which shops are open.
Q: Can I ask questions during the market tour?
A: You can ask your host about Tsukiji Market, Japanese ingredients, kitchen tools, and food culture during the guided walk. The market walking group is limited to 8 participants, giving you opportunities to ask about what you see.
Q: What is SMILING TOKYO’s connection to Tsukiji Market?
A: The experience is created by a team with family connections to Tsukiji Market spanning more than 100 years. These relationships connect the tour and sushi-making class with local specialty shops, ingredients, tools, and the market’s food traditions.
Q: How large is the group?
A: The guided Tsukiji Market walk has a maximum of 8 participants. The sushi-making class accommodates up to 20 participants and may include guests who booked the class separately. The 8-person limit applies to the market walk.
Q: How much walking is involved?
A: The experience includes approximately one hour exploring Tsukiji Outer Market on foot, with stops along the route. Wear comfortable walking shoes and travel light. Large suitcases and oversized luggage are not recommended.
Q: Will all market shops be open during the tour?
A: Shop opening days and hours vary. Some wholesale and specialty shops may be closed on Wednesdays, Sundays, and market holidays. Your host adjusts the walking route and stops according to shop availability and conditions on the day.
Q: Should I bring cash for the market walk?
A: Bring Japanese yen in small denominations if you would like to shop during the market walk. Some shops accept cash only. Personal purchases and additional food or drinks are not included in the tour price.
Q: What types of sushi will I make?
A: You make 10 pieces of sushi, including tuna and salmon nigiri, inari sushi, and a tuna roll. The class includes shaping nigiri by hand and making a traditional sushi roll, followed by arranging your sushi in a wooden bento box.
Q: Are the sushi ingredients and the meal included in the tour price?
A: The ingredients for your 10-piece sushi bento and the use of sushi-making tools are included in the tour price. You eat the sushi you make at the classroom as part of the approximately two-hour experience.
Q: Where do the sushi ingredients come from?
A: SMILING TOKYO uses fresh ingredients sourced from trusted specialty shops in Tsukiji Market. These ingredients, including tuna and salmon, are used in the sushi you prepare and eat during the class.
Q: Will I taste real fresh wasabi?
A: Fresh wasabi tasting are included in the sushi-making session. You try eating real fresh wasabi.
Q: Will I use Japanese knives and sushi-making tools?
A: The sushi-making session includes hands-on use of Japanese knives and traditional sushi-making tools. The instructor demonstrates the techniques used during the class.
Q: What makes the wooden sushi bento special?
A: You arrange your handmade sushi in a handcrafted wooden bento box made especially for this experience. The activity introduces the Japanese tradition of presenting food beautifully, creating a colorful sushi bento that you can photograph before eating.
Q: What aspects of Japanese food culture will I experience?
A: The guided walk introduces Tsukiji Market’s specialty shops, ingredients, and food traditions. The sushi-making session adds practical experience with nigiri, sushi rolls, fresh wasabi, Japanese knives, and bento presentation. You explore Japanese food culture through the market, then prepare and enjoy your own sushi.
Q: Do I need previous cooking or sushi-making experience?
A: No previous cooking or sushi-making experience is required. The instructor provides step-by-step demonstrations to help beginners make sushi and arrange their finished bento.
Q: What language is used during the tour and sushi-making class?
A: The guided market walk and sushi-making class are conducted in English. During the class, spoken instructions are supported by practical demonstrations.
Q: Is the experience suitable for children, and are child rates available?
A: Discounted child rates are available for children ages 3–9. Children ages 5–9 frequently join our sushi-making classes, where simple demonstrations help them follow along. Families can explore Tsukiji Market together, make sushi, and enjoy their finished meal. Please allow for approximately one hour of walking when planning for younger children. Select the child pricing option when booking.
Q: Can babies and toddlers attend?
A: Children of all ages, including babies, are welcome. Children ages 0–2 may accompany their family free of charge if they do not occupy a separate seat. The free infant option does not include a sushi-making experience or a separate set of ingredients and tools.
Q: How should I book for a child age 0–2 who wants to make sushi?
A: Please book a paid child place for a child age 0–2 who will take part in sushi making. This allows us to prepare their experience. The free infant option does not include a separate seat or an individual sushi-making experience.
Q: Can I bring a stroller?
A: Strollers can be brought to the sushi-making classroom, which has elevator access. For the combined market walking tour and sushi-making experience, please contact SMILING TOKYO in advance to discuss bringing a stroller along the walking route.
Q: Can wheelchair users join the combined experience?
A: The sushi-making classroom is on the third floor with elevator access and can accommodate wheelchair users. Please contact SMILING TOKYO before booking the combined experience so we can discuss the market walking route and your access requirements.
Q: Are vegetarian options available?
A: Vegetarian options are available for the sushi-making meal included in the Tsukiji Market tour. Please request a vegetarian menu by the day before your tour. Same-day requests may not be accommodated.
Q: Are vegan options available?
A: Vegan options are available for the sushi-making meal included in the Tsukiji Market tour. Please request a vegan menu by the day before your tour so we can prepare the ingredients. Same-day requests may not be accommodated.
Q: Can you accommodate halal dietary requirements?
A: SMILING TOKYO is not halal-certified, but we can make dietary adjustments for the sushi-making meal where possible. Please tell us your specific halal requirements by the day before your tour so we can confirm what we can accommodate. We cannot guarantee that every halal requirement can be met, and same-day requests may not be accommodated.
Q: Can you accommodate kosher dietary requirements?
A: Kosher dietary requests require individual consultation and cannot be guaranteed. Please contact SMILING TOKYO before booking to discuss your specific requirements and whether a suitable arrangement is possible.
Q: When should I tell you about allergies or dietary requirements?
A: Please notify SMILING TOKYO of any allergies or dietary requirements by the day before your tour so we can discuss suitable arrangements for the sushi-making meal. Same-day requests may not be accommodated. Kosher requests require individual consultation, and halal adjustments are subject to what we can accommodate without halal certification.
Q: Can I take photos of my sushi bento?
A: You can photograph your finished sushi bento before eating it. Complimentary photos taken by staff are also included in the sushi-making experience.
Q: Can I take my finished sushi bento or leftovers away?
A: All sushi prepared during the class must be eaten at the classroom during the session. Takeout is not permitted, including leftover sushi.
Q: Where should I meet my guide for the Tsukiji Market tour?
A: Meet in front of the sushi restaurant “Sushizanmai Bekkan” (Annex). Your guide will be waiting on the right side of the building as you face it from the street. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your booked start time and wait outside. There are several Sushizanmai restaurants in Tsukiji, so make sure you come to the Bekkan (Annex) location.
Q: Is this tour operated by Sushizanmai?
A: The Tsukiji Market tour and sushi-making experience is independently operated by SMILING TOKYO and is not affiliated with Sushizanmai. Sushizanmai Bekkan is the landmark for the outdoor meeting point. Please contact SMILING TOKYO for assistance rather than asking restaurant staff.
Q: What time should I arrive, and what happens if I am late?
A: Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your booked start time. The tour starts promptly, and late arrivals may not be able to join. Allow extra travel time to find the correct meeting point.
Q: Are hotel pickup and transportation included?
A: Hotel pickup, hotel drop-off, and transportation to and from the meeting point are not included. Please make your own way to the outdoor meeting point in front of Sushizanmai Bekkan (Annex).
Q: Can I book a private Tsukiji Market tour and sushi-making experience?
A: Please contact SMILING TOKYO to request a private group booking for the market tour and sushi-making experience. We can discuss availability and arrangements for your group.
Tokyo, Kanto, Japan