Bluefin Tuna Sells for Historic Price of $3.2 million at Tokyo Auction
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's first auction of the new year.
The winning bid for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the company of a nationwide sushi restaurant group, which operates restaurants throughout Japan and internationally.
"An inaugural tuna brings fortune," commented the entrepreneur, a notable figure at the traditional January sale.
Known as the King of Tuna, this entrepreneur is famous for submitting record bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious year-opening auctions.
Auction Shock and Historic Precedent
After the auction, the winner told the press that he was "astonished at the winning bid," noting, "I believed we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price soared rapidly."
This most recent purchase tops his previous notable purchases:
- He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Despite previously commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now gone on to break his own record yet again.
A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids
The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally associated with exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which indicated the fish would be served at its restaurants nationwide.
The high-energy activity at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different.
From Auction to Plate
The record-priced tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi chains shortly after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," said one happy customer.
