🔗 Share this article Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Historic Sum of $3.2m at Japanese Capital New Year Sale The winning bidder is a regular face at the traditional event. A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a historic bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the year. The successful offer for the 535-pound fish came from the company of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages restaurants domestically and internationally. "The first tuna heralds fortune," stated the business owner, a regular participant at the annual January sale. Dubbed the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is famous for submitting high bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious January auctions. Auction Shock and Record-Setting Precedent Following the auction, the successful bidder told reporters that he was "taken aback at the amount," adding, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it." This latest acquisition surpasses his previous record purchases: He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He bid 155 million yen in 2013. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m). Even after once remarking that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to surpass his personal record once again. An Annual Spectacle of High Prices The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which announced the fish would be featured at its locations across Japan. The high-energy activity at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a must-see spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different. Immediate Consumption The record-priced tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction was finished. "I sense like I've begun the year in a good way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," said one satisfied diner.
The winning bidder is a regular face at the traditional event. A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a historic bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the year. The successful offer for the 535-pound fish came from the company of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages restaurants domestically and internationally. "The first tuna heralds fortune," stated the business owner, a regular participant at the annual January sale. Dubbed the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is famous for submitting high bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious January auctions. Auction Shock and Record-Setting Precedent Following the auction, the successful bidder told reporters that he was "taken aback at the amount," adding, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it." This latest acquisition surpasses his previous record purchases: He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He bid 155 million yen in 2013. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m). Even after once remarking that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to surpass his personal record once again. An Annual Spectacle of High Prices The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which announced the fish would be featured at its locations across Japan. The high-energy activity at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a must-see spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different. Immediate Consumption The record-priced tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction was finished. "I sense like I've begun the year in a good way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," said one satisfied diner.