Bluefin Tuna Sells for Unprecedented Bid of $3.2m at Japanese Capital Auction
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's first auction of the calendar year.
The successful offer for the 243-kilogram fish was placed by the parent firm of a nationwide sushi chain, which operates outlets domestically and internationally.
"The year's tuna brings good luck," remarked the business owner, a familiar figure at the yearly January sale.
Referred to as the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is renowned for submitting substantial bids for premium bluefin tuna at these auspicious January auctions.
Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past
Following the auction, the winner told journalists that he was "taken aback at the winning bid," stating, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This most recent purchase exceeds his own historic purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Despite previously remarking that he thought he "bid too high," he has now proceeded to break his own record once again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally associated with sky-high prices. Last year, the initial tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which announced the fish would be served at its locations across Japan.
The high-energy atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has transformed into a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.
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The record-priced tuna was promptly processed for diners at the winner's sushi establishments immediately after the auction ended.
"I sense like I've begun the year in a positive way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," said one happy diner.
