Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Historic Bid of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo Auction

A substantial bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the year.

The successful bid for the 243-kilogram fish came from the parent firm of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which manages outlets across the country and internationally.

"The first tuna brings fortune," remarked the company president, a regular participant at the annual new year's auction.

Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is famous for placing record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic year-opening auctions.

Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Precedent

After the auction, the winner told reporters that he was "taken aback at the final price," noting, "I expected we would be able to acquire it a little cheaper, but the price escalated rapidly."

This most recent acquisition tops his previous notable purchases:

• He bid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
• He spent 155 million yen the following year.
• In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).

Even after previously remarking that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to break his own record once again.

An Annual Spectacle of High Prices

The inaugural auction at the Tokyo fish market is notoriously characterized by exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate culinary group, which indicated the fish would be featured at its restaurants nationwide.

The frenetic energy at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no exception.

Immediate Consumption

The multi-million-dollar tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi restaurants shortly after the auction ended.

"I sense like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," shared one happy customer.