Bluefin Tuna Fetches Historic Price of $3.2m at Tokyo New Year Sale
A massive Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the calendar year.
The top offer for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the operator of a popular sushi chain, which manages outlets domestically and overseas.
"The year's tuna heralds good luck," commented the company president, a regular figure at the traditional January sale.
Dubbed the King of Tuna, this entrepreneur is noted for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic year-opening auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Historic Precedent
Following the auction, the successful bidder told reporters that he was "surprised at the winning bid," stating, "I had thought we would be able to purchase it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed in no time."
This most recent acquisition surpasses his previous record purchases:
- He bid 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 dollars).
Even after once saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to shatter his own record once again.
A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by exorbitant prices. The previous year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which stated the fish would be featured at its eateries nationwide.
The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has transformed into a major spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
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The record-priced tuna was promptly processed for customers at the winner's sushi restaurants shortly after the auction ended.
"I sense like I've started the year in a good way after tasting something so lucky as the year starts," shared one happy patron.
