Bluefin Fish Commands Historic Price of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo Auction
A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the new year.
The winning bid for the 243kg fish came from the parent firm of a nationwide sushi restaurant group, which operates restaurants across the country and abroad.
"An inaugural tuna signals fortune," stated the business owner, a regular bidder at the annual new year's auction.
Referred to as the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is famous for placing record bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Past
After the auction, the winner informed reporters that he was "surprised at the final price," noting, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This latest acquisition tops his own record purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).
Despite once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to surpass his own record another time.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The inaugural auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally characterized by exceptionally high prices. The previous year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which stated the fish would be available at its restaurants nationwide.
The frenetic activity at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has evolved into a popular event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different.
Immediate Consumption
The multi-million-dollar tuna was shortly thereafter processed for customers at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction ended.
"I sense like I've commenced the year in a positive way after consuming something so auspicious as the year starts," shared one satisfied diner.
