Bluefin Tuna Commands Historic Bid of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the new year.
The top offer for the 535-pound fish came from the operator of a nationwide sushi chain, which runs outlets domestically and internationally.
"The first tuna brings fortune," commented the entrepreneur, a notable figure at the traditional January sale.
Known as the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is noted for submitting high bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile year-opening auctions.
Bidding Shock and Historic Past
Following the auction, the successful bidder informed reporters that he was "astonished at the final price," stating, "I expected we would be able to purchase it a little for less, but the price escalated before you knew it."
This latest acquisition exceeds his own record purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Even after previously remarking that he thought he "overdid it," he has now gone on to surpass his personal record yet again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is notoriously characterized by sky-high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which announced the fish would be featured at its locations across Japan.
The frenetic energy at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has transformed into a major spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different.
From Auction to Plate
The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for patrons at the winner's sushi chains immediately after the auction concluded.
"I feel like I've begun the year in a positive way after tasting something so auspicious as the year begins," shared one elated diner.
