Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Historic Price of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the calendar year.
The winning bid for the 243kg fish was placed by the operator of a popular sushi chain, which manages outlets domestically and internationally.
"The first tuna heralds a prosperous start," commented the business owner, a familiar participant at the yearly first sale.
Referred to as the King of Tuna, this businessman is famous for placing high bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious year-opening auctions.
Auction Surprise and Historic Past
After the auction, the successful bidder told journalists that he was "astonished at the winning bid," noting, "I had thought we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price soared before you knew it."
This most recent acquisition exceeds his own notable purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen a year later.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Despite once saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to surpass his own record another time.
A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which indicated the fish would be available at its locations across Japan.
The high-energy energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has evolved into a major spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
From Auction to Plate
The record-priced tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the bidder's sushi restaurants shortly after the auction ended.
"I believe like I've started the year in a good way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," remarked one satisfied customer.
