Bluefin Tuna Fetches Record Price of 3.2 million dollars 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; ÂŁ2.4m) during the market's first auction of the calendar year.
The successful bid for the 535-pound fish was placed by the operator of a popular sushi chain, which manages locations across the country and internationally.
"The first tuna signals fortune," commented the entrepreneur, a notable bidder at the traditional new year's auction.
Known as the Tuna Tycoon, this businessman is noted for submitting high bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic new year auctions.
Auction Shock and Record-Setting Past
Following the auction, the successful bidder admitted to reporters that he was "taken aback at the winning bid," adding, "I had thought we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This latest purchase surpasses his own notable purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen a year later.
- In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Despite once commenting that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to break his own record once again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally associated with sky-high prices. Last year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which indicated the fish would be available at its locations nationwide.
The intense energy at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has evolved into a popular event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different.
Immediate Consumption
The record-priced tuna was promptly prepared for diners at the bidder's sushi chains soon 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 begins," remarked one elated customer.
