[Report] Tsukiji Market Site—”A Prime, Mega-Sized Lot in the City Center”—Is “Almost Completely Cleared!” Aerial Photos

In a prime location just a 10-minute walk from the heart of Ginza lies a vast “vacant lot” equivalent to 4.2 times the size of the Tokyo Dome. This is the site of the former Tsukiji Market, which moved to Toyosu in 2018 after a series of twists and turns involving reconstruction plans and postponements of the relocation.

The photo shows the site as it appears today from the air. The wholesale market has been completely demolished, leaving virtually nothing but bare land. A visit to the site reveals several excavators at work, with blue tarps scattered here and there covering the soil.

Plans call for the construction of a massive mixed-use complex centered around an all-weather dome facility with a capacity of 57,000—rumored to be the new home stadium for the Yomiuri Giants—flanked by luxury hotels and commercial facilities. However, even though eight years have passed since the relocation, the site remains largely untouched.

In fact, the redevelopment plan—a pet project of Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (74)—is reportedly facing turbulent developments behind the scenes. Remains of “Yokuen-en,” a garden constructed during the Edo period by Matsudaira Sadanobu, a senior councilor, have been discovered on the site.This vast garden—equivalent to 1.3 Tokyo Domes—is said to have been a renowned landscape featuring two enormous ponds: “Spring Breeze Pond,” surrounded by cherry blossoms, and “Autumn Breeze Pond,” surrounded by maple trees.

Shizuko Nagaya, representative director of the “Tsukiji Yokuon-en Revitalization Society,” which advocates for the preservation of Yokuon-en, is outraged.

“During the preliminary excavation surveys conducted in 2021–2022, only 3.4% of the entire 19.4 畝 redevelopment site was surveyed. Despite this, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that ‘the remains of Yokuon-en were not significant enough to warrant preservation.’ As a result, the plan is moving forward.How could they make such a judgment based on a survey of just 3.4 percent?

I hear that a full-scale excavation is currently underway, but even when I asked the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, I could not get a clear explanation of what exactly they are investigating. The site has already been cleared, and it appears the remains of the two ponds have been backfilled. Are they really conducting an investigation…? Despite this situation, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government says the facility will open in phases starting in fiscal year ’29. I can’t help but think this investigation is merely a formality designed to justify the redevelopment.”

To shed light on the opaque nature of the survey, Representative Director Nagaya held a press conference in September, calling for the disclosure of information on the excavation progress and the organization of public tours.

A “Tokyo Residents First” approach is needed.

The October 9 issue of *FRIDAY* (October 23 & 30 Combined Issue) and the paid version, *FRIDAY GOLD*, feature the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s response regarding the actual state of the investigation. They also provide detailed coverage of the thoughts revealed by assembly members who are pursuing the issue further.

Click here to view the full details and multiple photos ↓↓

From the “FRIDAY” October 23 & 30, 2026 Combined Issue