Pacific Bluefin Fish Sells for Record Price of $3.2m at Japanese Capital Auction
A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the new year.
The winning offer for the 243-kilogram fish was placed by the company of a popular sushi chain, which runs outlets domestically and overseas.
"An inaugural tuna brings good luck," commented the company president, a familiar figure at the yearly January sale.
Known as the Tuna Tycoon, this businessman is noted for submitting high bids for premium bluefin tuna at these auspicious new year auctions.
Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
After the auction, the winner told journalists that he was "astonished at the winning bid," adding, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price soared rapidly."
This new acquisition exceeds his own record purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Even after once commenting 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 inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically known for exceptionally high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different culinary group, which indicated the fish would be served at its locations across Japan.
The frenetic atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has become a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
Immediate Consumption
The extremely valuable tuna was quickly processed for customers at the winner's sushi chains soon after the auction concluded.
"I feel like I've started the year in a positive way after eating something so lucky as the year gets underway," said one satisfied customer.
