Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Historic Bid of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo Auction
A bulky bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the year.
The successful bid for the 535-pound fish came from the operator of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates restaurants across the country and overseas.
"The first tuna signals fortune," commented the entrepreneur, a regular figure at the traditional first sale.
Referred to as the Tuna King, this businessman is famous for placing record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.
Auction Surprise and Historic Precedent
After the auction, the winner informed journalists that he was "surprised at the winning bid," noting, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This most recent acquisition tops his own notable purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).
Even after once commenting that he thought he "did too much," he has now proceeded to surpass his own record once again.
An Annual Spectacle of High Prices
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically known for exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a different food company, which indicated the fish would be featured at its restaurants across Japan.
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 equally bustling.
From Auction to Plate
The extremely valuable tuna was quickly sliced up for customers at the bidder's sushi chains soon after the auction was finished.
"I sense like I've started the year in a good way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," said one elated patron.
