Pacific Bluefin Tuna Fetches Historic Bid of $3.2m at Japanese Capital Auction
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna created waves at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the venue's first auction of the calendar year.
The winning offer for the 535-pound fish came from the parent firm of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates restaurants domestically and internationally.
"An inaugural tuna heralds good luck," stated the entrepreneur, a notable figure at the annual new year's auction.
Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this businessman is famous for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
Following the auction, the winner informed the press that he was "surprised at the winning bid," adding, "I believed we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price soared in no time."
This new purchase surpasses his own record purchases:
- He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He paid 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 "bid too high," he has now proceeded to shatter his own record yet again.
An Annual Spectacle of High Prices
The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by sky-high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be served at its locations throughout the country.
The frenetic energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a popular event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different.
Immediate Consumption
The record-priced tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for customers at the winner's sushi establishments soon after the auction concluded.
"I feel like I've started the year in a positive way after tasting something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," said one elated diner.
