The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced a month-long ban on visitors to the famous fish auctions in Tsukiji fish market from mid-December, blaming large numbers of foreign tourists for obstructing business [more on Mainichi]
Tsukiji has become a popular tourist spot for the past two decades, but the tourism boom is not entirely welcomed for the wholesale market. The authorities have previously tried to discourage tourist visits, but it obviously didn’t work.
From a travellers’ point of view, Tsukiji fish market is a must visit place for Tokyo visitors; but I can understand the traders’ frustration. Imagine having bunches of tourists disrupting the business everyday but not buying anything; and to make it worse some tourists have not much respect for customs and basic manners.
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wouldn’t tourists be very unsatisfied if they can’t go there anymore?
maybe the fish market should charge the travel agencies money for having a group of tourists go there.
Sometimes they have to balance in between tourism and local living… if it reaches a point where the locals are suffering because of tourists activities, the government will have a decision to make.
For developed countries like Japan, the decision is most likely in favour of the citizens… might be a bit different for poorer countries that are desperate for tourism dollars though.
I don’t think there are many agencies that organise a Tsukiji tour, at least not for the past few months after the authority had issued the ‘visitor not welcomed’ statement. I guess most of the tourists were individual travellers instead.
sudden craving for sushi. lol.