Bluefin Tuna Commands Unprecedented Bid of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction

A massive bluefin tuna created waves at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the calendar year.

The winning bid for the 243kg fish was submitted by the operator of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates outlets throughout Japan and internationally.

"The first tuna signals good luck," commented the entrepreneur, a regular figure at the yearly first sale.

Referred to as the King of Tuna, this businessman is famous for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions.

Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past

Following the auction, the winner told journalists that he was "surprised at the final price," noting, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little for less, but the price soared rapidly."

This latest purchase tops his previous record purchases:

• He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
• He paid 155 million yen a year later.
• In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).

Even after once remarking that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to surpass his own record another time.

A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids

The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally known for exorbitant prices. Last year, the first tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which stated the fish would be served at its eateries nationwide.

The high-energy energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a must-see spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.

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The record-priced tuna was promptly sliced up for diners at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments immediately after the auction concluded.

"I feel like I've started the year in a auspicious way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," shared one elated patron.