Bluefin Tuna Commands Historic Price of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction

A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the year.

The top bid for the 243kg fish was submitted by the company of a well-known sushi chain, which operates restaurants domestically and abroad.

"The first tuna heralds a prosperous start," commented the business owner, a notable bidder at the traditional first sale.

Dubbed the King of Tuna, this entrepreneur is famous for making substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious new year auctions.

Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Past

Following the auction, the winner informed reporters that he was "astonished at the amount," noting, "I believed we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price escalated rapidly."

This new acquisition exceeds his own historic purchases:

• He bid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
• He paid 155 million yen the following year.
• In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).

Even after previously saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to shatter his own record once again.

A Tradition of High Prices

The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically known for exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which announced the fish would be available at its eateries throughout the country.

The intense energy at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a major spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.

From Auction to Plate

The record-priced tuna was shortly thereafter processed for diners at the bidder's sushi restaurants shortly after the auction was finished.

"I sense like I've begun the year in a good way after consuming something so auspicious as the year gets underway," said one happy patron.