Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Record Bid of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction

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

The top bid for the 535-pound fish was placed by the parent firm of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates restaurants throughout Japan and overseas.

"The year's tuna brings fortune," remarked the company president, a regular bidder at the yearly January sale.

Known as the Tuna Tycoon, this entrepreneur is renowned for making substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious year-opening auctions.

Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent

Following the auction, the winner admitted to reporters that he was "taken aback at the final price," noting, "I had thought we would be able to purchase it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed rapidly."

This most recent acquisition tops his previous historic purchases:

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

Even after previously saying that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to break his own record yet again.

An Annual Spectacle of High Prices

The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which stated the fish would be featured at its restaurants nationwide.

The high-energy energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has evolved into a popular event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no different.

Immediate Consumption

The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for patrons at the entrepreneur's sushi chains shortly after the auction ended.

"I sense like I've started the year in a positive way after consuming something so auspicious as the year begins," said one happy patron.