Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Historic Price of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale
A massive Pacific bluefin tuna created waves at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the new year.
The successful offer for the 535-pound fish was placed by the operator of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates locations across the country and abroad.
"An inaugural tuna heralds good luck," stated the business owner, a regular participant at the traditional new year's auction.
Referred to as the King of Tuna, this entrepreneur is famous for placing record bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile year-opening auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
After the auction, the successful bidder told journalists that he was "surprised at the amount," stating, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This latest acquisition tops his previous record purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen a year later.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Even after previously saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to break his personal record another time.
A Tradition of High Prices
The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for exorbitant prices. The previous year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different food company, which stated the fish would be available at its restaurants nationwide.
The high-energy atmosphere at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
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The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for customers at the bidder's sushi establishments shortly after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've started the year in a good way after tasting something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," said one happy diner.