Tsukiji Outer Market (築地場外市場) is holding its autumn festival, Tsukiji Autumn Festival 2026 (築地秋まつり2026), for three days from Friday, October 30 to Sunday, November 1, 2026. There are three parts: a sale at the market shops, a food fest where well-known Tsukiji restaurants serve dishes in a park, and small hands-on seminars on fish, katsuobushi and pickles. The food fest is free to enter and the seminars cost nothing, but the seminars need advance booking and have only 16 places per session.
The festival at a glance
The three parts do not run on the same days, and they are held in different places. Here is how the schedule fits together.
| Part | Dates | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jogai Home Run Sale (場外ホームランセール) | Oct 30 (Fri) Oct 31 (Sat) | Shops across the outer market | Hours and services vary by shop |
| Tsukiji Food Fest (築地フードフェス) | Oct 31 (Sat) Nov 1 (Sun) | Shijobashi Park (市場橋公園) | Free entry; goes ahead in rain, cancelled in storms |
| Food seminars (食育セミナー) | One each day Oct 30 – Nov 1 | Uogashi Studio, Odawarabashi Bldg 3F | Free; advance booking, 16 places per session |
Saturday, October 31 is the only day when all three parts overlap, so it is the day to pick if you want the sale, the food fest and a seminar in one trip.
| Event | Tsukiji Autumn Festival 2026 (築地秋まつり2026) |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 30 (Fri) – November 1 (Sun), 2026 |
| Organizer | Tsukiji Outer Market Shopping District Promotion Association (築地場外市場商店街振興組合) |
| Venue | Tsukiji Outer Market shops; Shijobashi Park (food fest); Uogashi Studio, 3F of the Tsukiji Uogashi Odawarabashi Building (築地魚河岸小田原橋棟) for seminars |
| Address | Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (market shops) 4-15-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Shijobashi Park) |
| Entry | Food fest: free entry. Seminars: free, booking required |
| Official page | Tsukiji Outer Market event page (Japanese) |
Jogai Home Run Sale (Oct 30–31)
On Friday and Saturday, shops throughout the outer market take part in the Jogai Home Run Sale. Expect seafood first and foremost, along with meat, eggs, vegetables, pickles and delicacies (chinmi) at special prices. It suits both everyday grocery shopping and anyone looking for ingredients they would struggle to find elsewhere.
- Each shop sets its own opening hours and services, so one store may close earlier than the next.
- The official site publishes a list of sale items. If you are after something specific, check that list before you head out.
- The sale does not run on Sunday, November 1.
Prices and the item list are on the official event page, which is in Japanese. A browser translation tool is enough to read it.
Tsukiji Food Fest (Oct 31–Nov 1)
For the weekend, a temporary venue goes up in Shijobashi Park, and well-known Tsukiji restaurants gather to serve their dishes there. The range covers seafood, meat dishes, sweets, beer and wine, so it works for a family lunch as well as a casual drink with friends.
| Saturday, Oct 31 | 10:00–17:00 |
|---|---|
| Sunday, Nov 1 | 9:00–16:00 |
| Venue | Shijobashi Park, 4-15-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| Entry | Free (you pay for what you order) |
| Weather | Goes ahead in rain; cancelled in stormy weather |
Note that on Sunday the fest opens an hour earlier and closes an hour earlier. The venue map below shows the layout.
We couldn’t find details on how stalls take payment, so carrying some cash as well as a card is a sensible backup. If you are still choosing a card, our guide to credit cards in Japan for foreigners walks through which one to apply for first.
Free food seminars and how to book
Three short seminars on Japanese food culture are held at Uogashi Studio (魚河岸スタジオ) on the 3rd floor of the Tsukiji Uogashi Odawarabashi Building. Each one is led by the head of a long-standing Tsukiji business, and all of them are free.
| Date & topic | Instructor | Time & places | Who / what to bring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30 (Fri) How to fillet fish (practice with horse mackerel, aji) | 門井直也 President of 築地京富 | 14:00–15:30 16 places | Junior high age and up who have never filleted a fish. Bring an apron and a cloth; ice packs and take-home bags are provided. |
| Oct 31 (Sat) Katsuobushi and enjoying dashi | 松村彰大 CEO of 築地かつおぶし松村 (katsuobushi specialist) | 10:30–11:30 13:30–14:30 16 places each | Open to anyone. Nothing to bring. |
| Nov 1 (Sun) Enjoying pickles (tsukemono) | 吉川絵美子 President of 吉岡屋総本店 | 10:00–11:00 16 places | Open to anyone. Nothing to bring. |
How to plan your visit
- Want everything in one day? Go on Saturday, October 31: the sale is on, the food fest runs 10:00–17:00, and the katsuobushi seminar has two sessions.
- Shopping first? The sale runs only on Friday and Saturday. Look through the sale item list on the official site beforehand, and remember that shop hours differ.
- Sunday visitors: the sale has ended, but the food fest opens at 9:00 and the pickle seminar starts at 10:00.
- Watch the weather: light rain does not stop the food fest, but a storm will.
- Access and transport: check the Tsukiji Outer Market website for directions to the market.
Looking for more things to do on autumn weekends? The Musashino Art University Festival 2026 guide covers dates and access, and the Shibaura Canal Festival write-up shows how another free waterside event was organized. For paid outings, the Asoview Asobitsukushi campaign explains how to get money off admission tickets.
FAQ
- When is Tsukiji Autumn Festival 2026?
- From October 30 (Fri) to November 1 (Sun), 2026. The sale runs October 30–31, the food fest runs October 31–November 1, and one seminar topic is held on each of the three days.
- Is the Tsukiji Food Fest free to enter?
- Yes. Entry to the food fest at Shijobashi Park is free. You pay only for the food and drinks you order.
- What are the food fest opening hours?
- October 31 (Sat) from 10:00 to 17:00, and November 1 (Sun) from 9:00 to 16:00.
- How do I book a seminar?
- The seminars are free but need advance booking. Applications are scheduled to open on October 24 (Sat) at 10:00, and each session closes once its 16 places are filled. Check the official event page for how to apply.
- Does the festival go ahead if it rains?
- The food fest goes ahead in rain but is cancelled in stormy weather. Shop hours during the sale vary by shop.
Source: Tsukiji Outer Market official event page. Details may change, so check the official page before you go.