Pacific Bluefin Tuna Fetches Record Bid of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction
A massive Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the year.
The winning offer for the 535-pound fish came from the operator of a well-known sushi chain, which operates locations across the country and internationally.
"The first tuna heralds a prosperous start," remarked the entrepreneur, a familiar bidder at the yearly first sale.
Dubbed the King of Tuna, this businessman is renowned for submitting high bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious January auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Historic Precedent
After the auction, the successful bidder admitted to reporters that he was "surprised at the final price," stating, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price escalated before you knew it."
This most recent purchase exceeds his previous notable purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Even after once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to shatter his own record another time.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for sky-high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate culinary group, which stated the fish would be featured at its eateries nationwide.
The frenetic atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no different.
From Auction to Plate
The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for diners at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments immediately after the auction ended.
"I believe like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after eating something so lucky as the year starts," said one elated diner.
