Bluefin Fish Commands Historic Price of 3.2 million dollars at Japanese Capital Auction
A substantial bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the calendar year.
The top offer for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the operator of a popular sushi chain, which manages outlets domestically and overseas.
"An inaugural tuna heralds fortune," remarked the entrepreneur, a familiar bidder at the traditional new year's auction.
Referred to as the Tuna King, this industry figure is famous for making record bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious new year auctions.
Bidding Shock and Historic Past
After the auction, the successful bidder informed journalists that he was "astonished at the amount," adding, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price escalated rapidly."
This new acquisition exceeds his previous notable purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen the following year.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Even after once commenting that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to shatter his own record once again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for exorbitant prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be featured at its restaurants nationwide.
The high-energy activity at the fish market during these early morning auctions has transformed into a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different.
From Auction to Plate
The multi-million-dollar tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments soon after the auction was finished.
"I feel like I've started the year in a positive way after consuming something so lucky as the year starts," shared one happy patron.
