Tsukiji Market Wagyu
Did you know that Tsukiji Market sells wagyu beef to eat? It’s true! The Tsukiji Outer Market (sometimes referred to as the old Tsukiji Market) doesn’t just sell fish. The street food vendors sell wagyu skewers and there are plenty of these stalls.
The most obvious question on most people’s minds is “Is Tsukiji Market wagyu worth paying for?”
I don’t blame you if that’s what you’re wondering. When you go up to the stalls to read the price, it’s a steep price. The most common price is around 3000 yen for a skewer of Kobe wagyu beef. That’s a lot of yen for not a lot of beef. The prices for Tsukiji Market wagyu do seem insane at first glance.
If you happen to be heading to Kobe on your Japan trip, you can read our recommendation for affordable beef in Kobe!
Worth the yen?
As you can see in the menu above, there isn’t much in terms of a “cheap” or “budget” wagyu eat. A wagyu skewer indeed is 3000 yen when we went. We have never paid that much for a skewer of meat before!
We’re the first to admit that you can get this wagyu for a much cheaper price if you pop into a supermarket in Tokyo. You can go to a “fancy” supermarket like Mitsukoshi Ginza and head to their basement where they sell different kinds of grocery items. You can get very premium wagyu for cheaper than what is sold at Tsukiji Market.
However, the problem is that most tourists won’t be able to grill the meat back at their hotel. Trust us, we’ve considered buying a mini smokeless grill just to save some money and eat it in our hotel room. That’s just a daydream because once you break down the logistics, it just doesn’t work. It’s not worth saving 1000 yen but risk the wrath of the hotel if we set off the smoke alarms!
Honest Opinion
We’ve been there alongside other tourists trying to piece together if getting the wagyu skewers from one of the stalls is worth it. Our very honest opinion?
Just buy a skewer and enjoy the wagyu. The quality from these food stalls is very good still. While you might think a skewer of wagyu is not a lot, it actually is. The richness of the wagyu means you don’t want more than around 75 grams at a time.
We’re two adults and we shared a skewer both times we’ve tried the Tsukiji Market wagyu. Plus, now you’ll have more stomach space to try other foods at Tsukiji Market! (Get the tamago, it’s so good.)
Having tried two different stalls, we recommend 築地伊八 – Tsukiji Ihachi – A5WAGYU & SUSHI. They’re nearish the entrance to Tsukiji Market. The address is 4 Chome-10-10 Tsukiji, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan.
If you love Japan or travel content, be sure to follow us on Instagram! @GoAheadFoodies
