Pacific Bluefin Fish Commands Record Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale
A massive Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the calendar year.
The top offer for the 243-kilogram fish came from the parent firm of a popular sushi restaurant group, which manages restaurants domestically and abroad.
"The first tuna heralds a prosperous start," stated the business owner, a regular figure at the traditional January sale.
Referred to as the King of Tuna, this businessman is famous for making record bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
Following the auction, the winner admitted to reporters that he was "astonished at the amount," adding, "I believed we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This new acquisition tops his own record purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Even after previously saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to surpass his own record once again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for sky-high prices. Last year, the initial tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which stated the fish would be available at its locations across Japan.
The frenetic atmosphere at the fish market during these early morning auctions has evolved into a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different.
Swift Service
The record-priced tuna was promptly prepared for customers at the bidder's sushi chains immediately after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after tasting something so lucky as the year begins," shared one elated patron.
