Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Historic Bid of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo Auction

A bulky bluefin tuna created waves at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's first auction of the year.

The top offer for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a popular sushi restaurant group, which runs restaurants across the country and internationally.

"An inaugural tuna heralds fortune," commented the entrepreneur, a notable figure at the yearly January sale.

Known as the Tuna King, this businessman is famous for making high bids for premium bluefin tuna at these auspicious January auctions.

Auction Surprise and Historic Past

After the auction, the successful bidder informed the press that he was "taken aback at the winning bid," stating, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed rapidly."

This most recent purchase tops his previous record purchases:

• He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
• He spent 155 million yen a year later.
• In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).

Despite once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now gone on to shatter his personal record once again.

An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids

The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is typically known for sky-high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different culinary group, which announced the fish would be featured at its restaurants across Japan.

The frenetic activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.

From Auction to Plate

The extremely valuable tuna was quickly processed for diners at the bidder's sushi chains soon after the auction was finished.

"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after tasting something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," shared one happy customer.