Bluefin Fish Fetches Historic Price of $3.2m at Japanese Capital Auction
A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the new year.
The successful offer for the 243kg fish came from the parent firm of a nationwide sushi chain, which runs locations domestically and abroad.
"The first tuna brings a prosperous start," remarked the business owner, a familiar bidder at the traditional new year's auction.
Dubbed the King of Tuna, this entrepreneur is noted for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these auspicious year-opening auctions.
Auction Shock and Record-Setting Precedent
Following the auction, the successful bidder admitted to the press that he was "taken aback at the final price," stating, "I expected we would be able to acquire it a little for less, but the price escalated rapidly."
This most recent purchase surpasses his own historic purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Even after previously commenting that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to break his personal record another time.
An Annual Spectacle of High Prices
The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally characterized by exceptionally high prices. The previous year, the first tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be served at its restaurants nationwide.
The high-energy activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
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The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter processed for patrons at the bidder's sushi restaurants soon after the auction concluded.
"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after tasting something so lucky as the year gets underway," said one elated customer.
