Pacific Bluefin Tuna Commands Record Sum of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo New Year Sale
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's first auction of the calendar year.
The winning offer for the 535-pound fish was placed by the company of a popular sushi chain, which manages locations throughout Japan and internationally.
"The first tuna signals good luck," commented the entrepreneur, a regular bidder at the yearly new year's auction.
Referred to as the Tuna King, this businessman is noted for submitting record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic year-opening auctions.
Bidding Shock and Historic Past
After the auction, the winner informed journalists that he was "astonished at the final price," stating, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price escalated in no time."
This new acquisition surpasses his own historic purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He bid 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).
Despite once saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to surpass his personal record once again.
A Tradition of High Prices
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally associated with exorbitant prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be featured at its restaurants nationwide.
The frenetic activity at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.
From Auction to Plate
The extremely valuable tuna was quickly sliced up for customers at the bidder's sushi restaurants soon after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've commenced the year in a good way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," shared one elated customer.
