Bluefin Fish Fetches Record Price of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction
A massive bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the calendar year.
The top bid for the 535-pound fish was placed by the operator of a well-known sushi chain, which operates restaurants domestically and overseas.
"The first tuna signals good luck," commented the company president, a notable participant at the traditional new year's auction.
Referred to as the Tuna Tycoon, this entrepreneur is noted for making high bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
Following the auction, the winner informed the press that he was "astonished at the final price," adding, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This latest purchase tops his previous record purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Even after previously saying that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to break his own record another time.
An Annual Spectacle of High Prices
The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally characterized by exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different food company, which announced the fish would be featured at its locations across Japan.
The high-energy activity at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has evolved into a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different.
Immediate Consumption
The multi-million-dollar tuna was promptly prepared for customers at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction ended.
"I believe like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," said one satisfied diner.
