Tourists to be barred from Tsukiji tuna auctions Dec 1-Jan 22

Thursday 11th November, 05:57 AM JST

TOKYO —

Tsukiji fish market will shut out sightseers from its popular tuna auctioning area from Dec 1 to Jan 22 to ensure that auction activities can be conducted smoothly, the Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market said Wednesday. The auctioning area will be made off-limits to sightseers around the New Year holidays for the third straight year, according to the market run by the Tokyo metropolitan government.

The measure was introduced in 2008 as activities such as flash photography on the part of some tourists disturbed tuna middlemen and since the area will be particularly crowded around New Year due to an upsurge in tuna transactions, according to market officials. The market will continue to give sightseers access to the wholesalers’ area, a zone that accommodates wholesale outlets for some 850 middlemen, after 9 a.m.

Sightseers will also be allowed to visit restaurants, the entity said.