10/22/2026
At 5:30 in the morning on our first full day in Tokyo, jet lagged and wide awake, we were standing on the lower observation deck of the Toyosu fish auction, close enough to watch the bidding happen right in front of us.
Most visitors watch the auction through the glass from the upstairs gallery, but the lower observation deck puts you right on the floor, and it’s limited to about 100 people a day, chosen by lottery. I worked with my Japanese partners to secure our spots, and I also made one choice I’d recommend to anyone heading to Tokyo: we booked it for the morning after we arrived. When you’re already waking up at 3am because your body has no idea what time it is, a 5:30 call time doesn’t feel so bad, and you get to start your trip with something you’d never see at home.
If Japan is on your list, this is exactly the kind of detail I love planning, from getting you in the door to figuring out when an experience will fit best into your trip.