Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Unprecedented Sum of $3.2m at Tokyo New Year Sale
A massive bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the new year.
The successful bid for the 243-kilogram fish was submitted by the operator of a popular sushi chain, which operates locations throughout Japan and internationally.
"The year's tuna brings good luck," stated the company president, a regular bidder at the yearly new year's auction.
Dubbed the King of Tuna, this entrepreneur is renowned for making substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic new year auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Past
Following the auction, the successful bidder informed the press that he was "taken aback at the winning bid," stating, "I believed we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price soared rapidly."
This latest acquisition tops his previous record purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Even after once saying that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to surpass his personal record yet again.
A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Tokyo fish market is typically associated with sky-high prices. Last year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which stated the fish would be served at its locations throughout the country.
The frenetic energy at the fish market during these early morning auctions has transformed into a major event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
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The extremely valuable tuna was quickly processed for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi chains soon after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after tasting something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," said one elated patron.
