Bluefin Tuna Sells for Unprecedented Price of $3.2m at Japanese Capital New Year Sale
A substantial bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the new year.
The successful bid for the 243kg fish was submitted by the company of a popular sushi restaurant group, which operates restaurants domestically and abroad.
"An inaugural tuna heralds good luck," commented the entrepreneur, a notable figure at the annual first sale.
Known as the Tuna King, this businessman is famous for making substantial bids for premium bluefin tuna at these auspicious January auctions.
Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
Following the auction, the winner admitted to reporters that he was "surprised at the amount," stating, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little cheaper, but the price escalated in no time."
This most recent acquisition surpasses his own record purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Despite previously saying that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to shatter his own record another time.
A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally known for sky-high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different culinary group, which announced the fish would be available at its restaurants throughout the country.
The high-energy energy at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has evolved into a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.
Swift Service
The record-priced tuna was promptly prepared for customers at the bidder's sushi chains immediately after the auction ended.
"I sense like I've begun the year in a positive way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," remarked one elated patron.
