Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Unprecedented Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale

A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a historic bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the calendar year.

The winning bid for the 243-kilogram fish was submitted by the company of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages locations across the country and abroad.

"An inaugural tuna brings a prosperous start," stated the company president, a regular participant at the yearly January sale.

Referred to as the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is noted for submitting high bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions.

Bidding Shock and Historic Precedent

After the auction, the winner admitted to journalists that he was "surprised at the amount," stating, "I had thought we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price escalated rapidly."

This new acquisition surpasses his previous historic purchases:

• He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
• He bid 155 million yen in 2013.
• In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).

Even after previously saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now managed to surpass his own record another time.

A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids

The opening auction at the Tokyo fish market is notoriously associated with exceptionally high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which indicated the fish would be featured at its locations throughout the country.

The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has evolved into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different.

Swift Service

The record-priced tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi restaurants soon after the auction ended.

"I believe like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after eating something so auspicious as the year begins," shared one happy diner.