Pacific Bluefin Fish Commands Historic Bid of $3.2 million at Japanese Capital New Year Sale
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna created waves at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the new year.
The winning bid for the 243-kilogram fish was submitted by the company of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates outlets across the country and abroad.
"The first tuna brings fortune," remarked the entrepreneur, a familiar figure at the traditional first sale.
Referred to as the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is famous for submitting record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.
Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Precedent
After the auction, the successful bidder admitted to journalists that he was "surprised at the amount," noting, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price escalated before you knew it."
This latest purchase tops his own record purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Despite once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now gone on to shatter his own record yet again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Tokyo fish market is typically associated with exorbitant prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another food company, which announced the fish would be featured at its eateries across Japan.
The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.
From Auction to Plate
The multi-million-dollar tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments shortly after the auction was finished.
"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after tasting something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," shared one elated patron.
