Bluefin Tuna Sells for Historic Bid of $3.2m at Japanese Capital New Year Sale
A substantial bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; ÂŁ2.4m) during the venue's first auction of the calendar year.
The winning offer for the 243-kilogram fish was placed by the company of a popular sushi chain, which operates restaurants across the country and overseas.
"The first tuna brings a prosperous start," remarked the business owner, a regular bidder at the traditional new year's auction.
Known as the King of Tuna, this industry figure is noted for submitting high bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions.
Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Precedent
After the auction, the winner told the press that he was "astonished at the final price," noting, "I expected we would be able to purchase it a little for less, but the price escalated rapidly."
This new acquisition surpasses his own historic purchases:
- He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Even after previously commenting that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to break his personal record another time.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically associated with exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which indicated the fish would be served at its locations across Japan.
The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a major event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different.
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The record-priced tuna was quickly sliced up for patrons at the entrepreneur's sushi chains immediately after the auction concluded.
"I feel like I've begun the year in a positive way after eating something so auspicious as the year gets underway," said one satisfied customer.
