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.
