Bluefin Tuna Fetches Historic Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale
A massive bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's first auction of the new year.
The winning bid for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the parent firm of a popular sushi chain, which manages restaurants throughout Japan and internationally.
"An inaugural tuna brings fortune," remarked the entrepreneur, a familiar figure at the traditional January sale.
Referred to as the King of Tuna, this industry figure is renowned for submitting record bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic new year auctions.
Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Past
After the auction, the successful bidder informed reporters that he was "taken aback at the amount," noting, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This latest purchase tops his previous historic purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Despite previously saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to surpass his personal record yet again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally associated with exorbitant prices. The previous year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which announced the fish would be featured at its eateries nationwide.
The frenetic atmosphere at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a major spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.
Immediate Consumption
The extremely valuable tuna was quickly processed for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi restaurants shortly after the auction concluded.
"I sense like I've commenced the year in a positive way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," said one happy patron.
