Pacific Bluefin Tuna Commands Record Price of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo Auction
A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the year.
The winning bid for the 535-pound fish came from the parent firm of a popular sushi restaurant group, which manages restaurants throughout Japan and overseas.
"The first tuna signals good luck," commented the entrepreneur, a notable participant at the yearly January sale.
Referred to as the Tuna King, this businessman is renowned for placing substantial bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile year-opening auctions.
Bidding Shock and Historic Past
Following the auction, the winner admitted to journalists that he was "astonished at the final price," noting, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed rapidly."
This new purchase surpasses his own historic purchases:
- He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Even after previously saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now proceeded to break his own record yet again.
A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids
The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for exorbitant prices. Last year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be featured at its restaurants nationwide.
The high-energy activity at the fish market during these early morning auctions has evolved into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.
Immediate Consumption
The record-priced tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for patrons at the entrepreneur's sushi restaurants shortly after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've started the year in a good way after eating something so auspicious as the year begins," said one satisfied patron.