JAPAN
Japan's classics.
The 15 most popular markets tours in Japan. What each one is really like, who runs it, and what you will pay.
3-hour Tsukiji Fish Market food tour: Wagyu skewers, uni and tuna sightings, and sushi or a seafood bowl with a local guide.
“Really great tour from Mitch! Been to Tsukiji a few times prior but found a few new spots thanks to him. My friends who were in Japan for the first time also enjoyed. Highly recommend!”
Walk Tsukiji’s temples and markets with a local guide, tasting fresh street food at your own pace for $30.
“Was not a well organized tour. We booked a tour of the Tsukiji fish market, but our first stop on the tour was a temple and then the guide walked us over to the fish market area. The tour offered very little information on the history of the fish market and even less information on…”
Guided walk through Tsukiji’s temple and Outer Market with English explanations, photo stops, and street-food ordering help for $22.
“My guide Jim was fantastic, showed us the best spots with the most delicious food. Everything was wonderful!”
Small-group Nishiki Market brunch walk with 7 tastings, a sit-down meal, and classic Kyoto stops from Shijo Bridge to Pontocho.
“Great day filled with not only an amazing tour of the Nishiki market but our guide provide amazing history and fun facts of Kyoto, Geisha culture and the Shinto and Buddhism religious culture! A must in Kyoto!”
Walk Tsukiji’s outer market with a guide, then make 5 nigiri types plus a roll with a pro chef, finishing with lunch in Tokyo.
“Great local insight. A good way to learn proper customs for approaching temples and shrines, the history of the area, and to try fresh local seafood. Ko was our guide and he was amazing! We had fun, and have a new appreciation for the fish market history and ancient customs.”
Guided Tokyo Tsukiji Outer Market food tour with Wagyu skewers, sushi or seafood bowl, tamagoyaki, fruit, and culture lessons.
“Incredible. Our tour guide, kikano, was amazing. She knew everything and was very personable. I wouldn't want to book this tour with anyone else, she was fantastic”
Small-group Tsukiji street food walk with a traditional fish-cutting show, market atmosphere, and a temple stop for cultural context.
“It was good but too crowded close to New year and our tour guide didn't always wait for us. I preferred our promised tour guide.”
3 hours of Tsukiji Outer Market eats, seafood tastings, and shrine-and-temple sights, capped with a seafood lunch for a small group.
“This was very informational and fun to do! Our guide, Yuki, knew all the good places to stop and what to eat. We had a great time being shown around. Thanks a bunch, Yuki!”
Osaka Kuromon Market food walking tour: 6 stops, 6 tastings, Doguyasuji kitchenware, and Dotonbori lights. Small group, 2 hours.
“Rie was a fantastic guide; showed us around different parts of Namba and introduced us to many delicious foods!”
Learn Tsukiji sushi making with a pro chef. Watch fish prep, master nigiri and maki, then eat your fresh sushi with tea and soup.
“The class was super fun! Ike was wonderful and made everything so easy to understand. All the sushi was awesome!”
Guided Tsukiji Outer Market food tour with Keiko: 5–8 seafood tastings, easy navigation, and shopping time in 2.5 hours.
“I wouldn’t normally consider myself a ‘tour person,’ so I wasn’t sure if I should book this tour but I am so glad I did! Keiko was just the most lovely and knowledgeable guide- and amazing with my 10-year-old. We had behind-the-scenes accesRead more”
A 3-hour small-group Kyoto walk through Nishiki Market, shrines, and shopping streets, with enough tastings to skip a meal.
“Naoko was a wonderful guide! And the tour was such a fun and essential Kyoto experience. I’d highly recommend to other solo travelers.”
Walk Tsukiji Outer Market with an English guide, then make washoku sushi and tamagoyaki at ABC Cooking Travel with lunch.
“This experience was okay, rather less than I expected. First we walked through the market and tried a few dried soy beans. Afterwards we took the bus to the cooking center where we made very basic sushi (like a maki roll and nigiri and egg omelette). I would have wished for more information about the…”
Kyoto tea ceremony at KOTOLILY KYOTO: make matcha, taste sweets, then enjoy live koto music, with optional kimono photos. 1 hour.
“Experience was incredible. The owner is the kindest woman and we had a lovely time. She is an incredible artist and musician too.”
Osaka street-food walk with a certified English guide. 6 stops, 6 tastes at Kuromon Market plus Dotonbori and souvenir finds.
“Loved it. My guide Niko was fantastic, very lovely and made me feel right at home straight away. The food stops, walk through the temple and shops were great picks and I tried a lot of food that I wouldn’t have normally picked myself - all were very good.”
