We understand that the sight of hundreds of frozen tuna looks unique and interesting for foreign tourists. But they have to understand the Tsukiji market is a professional place, not an amusement park

Fair enough, Takagi-san. Are the new measures in place for keeping tourists safely at bay working now? Is this really a story any longer? I'm going this week to check it out. Will report here.

I am getting sick and tired of all this whinging. We all know it is a workplace. We all know that SOME tourists "misbehave" according to the strict and in many cases meaningless "rules" that exist in this humourless place called Japan. These people really need to get a life. Tsukiji Fish Market is a great tourist attraction - there are many such markets around the world where there are never any complaints about people taking flash pictures. Lets call a spade a spade - the REAL problem here is xenophobia and racism - they just dont like gaijin, in any shape or form. Go ahead,Takagi san, ban tourists again if you must, but know this, in doing so you are cutting your own throats. Japan NEEDS tourists, and this is one of the few tourist attractions in this city. Tourist numbers are rapidly falling anyway - and that scenario will get worse this year. Instead of whinging and whining, you need to WELCOME these people. Ever hear of Yokoso Japan?

I too am afraid of warrior princesses.

welcome to japan is a joke

the NY stock exchange can work and host tourists why can't tsukiji ?

answer is NY wants tourists, does Tokyo ? obviously not

How are tourists misbehaving?

Many of the tourists visiting Tsukiji conduct themselves with as much restraint as a four-year-old at a petting zoo. They will take pictures of themselves poking or even petting the fish on display, which is both unsanitary and bad for business. Tsukiji Fish Market is not analogous to the NY Stock Exchange; these fish are likely going to be served raw on a sushi platter somewhere. Would you want to eat anything uncooked that had been touched by a bunch of foreign tourists? I doubt it.

Fish fingers ban the tourist and then we can be assured to get some fantastic sushi and sashimi at any restaurant, and tourists does not necessarily mean gaijin. I’m for hygiene.

How are tourists misbehaving?

Those evil foreigners are doing things like speaking their mind and encouraging freedom of speech and actual democracy rather than a system where the old rich families rule the nation! It's horrible!

It's hard to keep track of the rigged bids. It's a professional place, so tourists should keep out.

Sorry - nothing unreasonable with this statement and approach except to those with some irrational axe to grind about "Japan".

No worries about this tourist. I like my fish swimming happily in fish tanks. I can barely stand the smell of seafood and in America the open air markets aren't a given. I beleive there are a few in the large cities such as New York. So it being out in the open like that is already a hygiene issue for some of us and uncooked meat for some of us completely out of the question. I can't fault Japan for their right to make these decisions, however when they aren't in their own country they are considered tourist too and never think twice about being inappropriately camera happy.

They are even inappropriately camera happy in their own country. Such as stopping the rarely seen African American female tourist to take a picture with them and urging the ever present cute "peace" sign. Also turn on the televison and watch a drama fon't be surprised to see that in this day and age they still are doing the black face with afros slapstick comedy routine. So maybe they should protect the tourist from the insensitivy instead of feeling they need protection what they consider a place of business from us. Yes there will always be rude people in any situation, but usually for most of us with common sense when we read signs that say don't touch, most of us don't touch. So hopefully their are signs issued in several languages, otherwise in some countries polking, touching and smelling is a way of deciding if it something we want to buy or not. Such as in fruit markets where you pick up a peach smell the stem area check the to see if if it's too soft or too hard.

Ree

shreeree;

Tsukiji does not smell of fish, and it's a wholesaler market, not meant for the average J person either. Having signs to tell people things which are common sense like "don't touch"? That would be labeled as racism too.

As I said you would never see me there in the first place due to content being sold. But I don't understand how a "do not touch" sign can be racism. Visitors need instructions otherwise somethings that are insulting to you is okay for us. How can a sign be racism but saying no tourist not be considered more insulting. Here are wholesaler markets have membership cards. I rather see that sign or a sign saying don't enter unless you purchase something, or "no cameras" please then to be told sorry we are closed to tourist and suddenly feeling like that unpopular kid on the outside looking in which is embarrassing. Well hopefully it's an issue that can be resolved and they will stop advertising it America as one of the extrordinary places that is a "must see" when visiting Japan recommended on the Travel Channel and the Food Network. Hopefully they remove this place from the recommended lists and their will be no more embarrasment for the sellers, local and foreign wholesale shoppers, and unknowing visitors. Thank you for setting me straight about what type of place it is and the fact it doesn't smell is that because everything in there is frozen? I still don't get why anyone would want to go see dead fish instead of going to the beautiful aquarium and feel the tranquility but that is just me.

Ree

Visitors need instructions otherwise somethings that are insulting to you is okay for us.

"Us"? Who is this "you" and "us" you refer to?

How can a sign be racism but saying no tourist not be considered more insulting.

I meant that there are many foreigners in Japan with a chip on their shoulder who would see such signs as racism. Personally, I don't see how refusing tourists (Japanese as well) to one part of Tsukiji (not the whole market), could be so insulting/racist to some, but I don't have such a thin skin about such things.

Thank you for setting me straight about what type of place it is and the fact it doesn't smell is that because everything in there is frozen?

Some is frozen, but the simple fact it that fresh seafood doesn't really stink.

I still don't get why anyone would want to go see dead fish instead of going to the beautiful aquarium and feel the tranquility but that is just me.

Fair enough, everyone has different views about what's fun. I enjoyed Tsukiji but once is probably enough, whereas aquariums are good for repeat visis.

Sorry, poking and petting my food isn't "freedom of speech", it's icky. Ban the tourists. Heck, "Respect the Emperor and Expel Foreign Barbarians!" (from tsukiji) if that's what it takes to keep my sushi clean.