Pacific Bluefin Tuna Fetches Record Sum of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction
A massive Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the calendar year.
The top bid for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the company of a well-known sushi chain, which manages locations domestically and abroad.
"The first tuna brings fortune," commented the business owner, a regular bidder at the annual January sale.
Dubbed the Tuna King, this businessman is famous for submitting record bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.
Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
Following the auction, the winner told journalists that he was "astonished at the final price," noting, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed rapidly."
This most recent purchase tops his own notable purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen a year later.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).
Even after once remarking that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to surpass his personal record yet again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for sky-high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which stated the fish would be available at its eateries throughout the country.
The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a major event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
Immediate Consumption
The record-priced tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction ended.
"I believe like I've begun the year in a positive way after consuming something so auspicious as the year starts," remarked one happy customer.
