Bluefin Tuna Fetches Record Price of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction
A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; ÂŁ2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the year.
The winning bid for the 535-pound fish came from the company of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates locations throughout Japan and abroad.
"The year's tuna signals a prosperous start," commented the entrepreneur, a familiar bidder at the annual new year's auction.
Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is renowned for making record bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions.
Auction Shock and Historic Precedent
After the auction, the successful bidder admitted to the press that he was "astonished at the winning bid," adding, "I expected we would be able to purchase it a little at a lower price, but the price escalated in no time."
This latest acquisition tops his previous historic purchases:
- He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Even after once saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to break his own record yet again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Tokyo fish market is notoriously characterized by exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which stated the fish would be featured at its restaurants throughout the country.
The intense activity at the fish market during these early morning auctions has transformed into a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different.
From Auction to Plate
The record-priced tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for patrons at the entrepreneur's sushi chains immediately after the auction concluded.
"I sense like I've begun the year in a good way after eating something so lucky as the year gets underway," shared one satisfied patron.