Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Record Bid of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo New Year Sale
A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a historic bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's opening auction of the year.
The winning offer for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages locations across the country and abroad.
"The first tuna brings good luck," remarked the company president, a notable figure at the traditional new year's auction.
Known as the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is noted for making substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious year-opening auctions.
Auction Surprise and Historic Past
After the auction, the successful bidder informed journalists that he was "taken aback at the final price," noting, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little for less, but the price escalated rapidly."
This new purchase exceeds his own record purchases:
- He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He paid 155 million yen a year later.
- In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Despite previously commenting that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to shatter his personal record another time.
A Tradition of High Prices
The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically associated with exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a different culinary group, which stated the fish would be available at its restaurants throughout the country.
The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a must-see spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.
Immediate Consumption
The extremely valuable tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the winner's sushi chains shortly after the auction concluded.
"I feel like I've commenced the year in a positive way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," remarked one satisfied patron.
