When importers think of Japanese fish, they usually think of Tokyo. Toyosu, the successor to the famous Tsukiji market, is the world's largest fish market and the reference point for Japanese seafood. But it is not the only place to buy, and for some products it is not the most efficient one. This article compares Toyosu with Fukuoka, in Kyushu, from the point of view of an importer buying for export.
We are a Fukuoka exporter, so we have an obvious interest. We have tried to be fair: Toyosu is excellent at what it does, and for some buyers it is the right choice.
Toyosu: the world's largest fish market
Toyosu brings together fish from all over Japan and abroad. Its strengths are real:
- Premium wild bluefin tuna. Toyosu is the benchmark for top-grade wild bluefin. If wild tuna is central to your business, Toyosu is hard to beat.
- Maximum variety. Because fish arrives from every region, Toyosu offers the widest range on a single day.
- Depth of trade. Many intermediaries, specialists and services operate around the market.
The trade-off is that much of what is sold in Tokyo has already travelled a long way to get there, and passes through several hands before it is exported.
Fukuoka: close to where the fish is farmed and landed
Fukuoka sits in Kyushu, in the south-west of Japan, facing rich fishing grounds and close to Japan's main aquaculture regions. Kyushu and neighbouring Ehime produce about 80% of Japan's farmed yellowtail, amberjack, sea bream, flounder, fugu and bluefin tuna. According to MAFF's 2024 aquaculture statistics:
- About 73% of farmed madai comes from Ehime and Kumamoto.
- Kagoshima is the number one producer of farmed kanpachi.
- Oita is the number one producer of farmed hirame, at around 27%.
- Nagasaki is the number one producer of farmed bluefin tuna.
In other words, a large share of the farmed fish sold in Toyosu is produced near Fukuoka in the first place. Kyushu fish trucked to Toyosu takes around 14 hours extra before it is even sold.
Side by side
| Toyosu (Tokyo) | Fukuoka (Kyushu) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Premium wild bluefin, maximum variety | Kyushu farmed fish, local wild fish, freshness |
| Farmed fish | Arrives from producing regions, including Kyushu | Bought farm-direct near where it is raised |
| Extra transit | Around 14h by truck for Kyushu fish | None for Kyushu fish |
| Cost | Includes auction markup and transit | Usually lower for Kyushu fish: no transit to Tokyo, no auction fees |
| Asian flights | From Tokyo airports | Fukuoka Airport, short flights to much of Asia |
Price: where the difference comes from
For fish farmed in Kyushu, buying farm-direct in Fukuoka is usually cheaper than buying the same fish in Toyosu. The difference does not come from cutting corners. It comes from three things:
- No auction fees on farm-direct purchases.
- No extra transit from Kyushu to Tokyo and back to an export airport.
- X-ray inspection fee covered on our side.
Actual prices still follow the daily market and depend on species, size and season, so any comparison should be made on a real quote for your own list.
Freshness and timing
For fresh chilled fish, every hour counts. A fish raised in Kagoshima or Oita and sold in Fukuoka can be processed, packed and at the airport the same day. From our facility, Fukuoka Airport is 10 minutes away, and same-day flights reach much of Asia. Approximate flight times from Fukuoka:
- Taiwan: about 2 hours 30 minutes
- Hong Kong: about 4 hours
- Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City): about 4 hours
- Thailand: about 6 hours
- Singapore: about 6 hours 30 minutes
- USA and Europe: 10 to 15 hours
More on the morning timeline and cold chain is on our process and logistics page.
Which one should you choose?
Toyosu makes sense if
- Premium wild bluefin tuna is the core of your order.
- You need the widest possible variety in a single purchase.
- Your supplier network is already built around Tokyo.
Fukuoka makes sense if
- Your order is built around farmed species such as buri (hamachi), madai, kanpachi, hirame or farmed bluefin.
- Freshness on arrival and price matter more than maximum variety.
- You import into Asia and want short, same-day flights.
- You also want Kyushu wild fish such as kinmedai or nodoguro from the local auction.
Many importers use both: Tokyo for wild tuna and rare items, Fukuoka for farmed fish and Kyushu specialities. The full argument for buying in Fukuoka is on our Why Fukuoka page.
How we buy in Fukuoka
We are a Japanese seafood supplier founded in Fukuoka in 2020. We buy at the Fukuoka fish market and from partner farms in Kyushu and Ehime, process and pack in-house, and prepare the export documents for each shipment. We exported 650 tons in 2025. Tell us what you buy today and we will show you how our fish and prices compare.
If you want to compare, ask for today's price list and put it next to what you pay now.