Pacific Bluefin Tuna Commands Record Bid of $3.2m at Japanese Capital Auction

A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the calendar year.

The top bid for the 243-kilogram fish came from the parent firm of a nationwide sushi restaurant group, which manages locations domestically and abroad.

"An inaugural tuna brings fortune," commented the company president, a notable bidder at the yearly new year's auction.

Referred to as the Tuna King, this businessman is noted for submitting high bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions.

Auction Shock and Historic Past

Following the auction, the successful bidder admitted to journalists that he was "astonished at the winning bid," adding, "I had thought we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price escalated before you knew it."

This latest acquisition surpasses his previous historic purchases:

• He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
• He bid 155 million yen a year later.
• In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).

Despite once saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to surpass his own record yet again.

An Annual Spectacle of High Prices

The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally characterized by exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which indicated the fish would be served at its locations throughout the country.

The intense energy at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a must-see spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different.

From Auction to Plate

The record-priced tuna was quickly processed for patrons at the winner's sushi restaurants shortly after the auction was finished.

"I believe like I've started the year in a auspicious way after tasting something so auspicious as the year begins," shared one happy customer.