Bluefin Fish Sells for Historic Sum of $3.2m at Tokyo New Year Sale
A bulky bluefin tuna created waves at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the new year.
The winning bid for the 243-kilogram fish was placed by the parent firm of a popular sushi restaurant group, which runs restaurants across the country and overseas.
"The year's tuna brings a prosperous start," remarked the company president, a notable bidder at the traditional new year's auction.
Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this entrepreneur is renowned for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these auspicious year-opening auctions.
Bidding Shock and Historic Precedent
After the auction, the winner told reporters that he was "astonished at the amount," noting, "I had thought we would be able to purchase it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This latest acquisition surpasses his own historic 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 ($2.1m).
Even after previously commenting that he thought he "bid too high," he has now managed to break his own record yet again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The inaugural auction at the Tokyo fish market is notoriously associated with exceptionally high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another culinary group, which indicated the fish would be served at its eateries across Japan.
The high-energy energy at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has evolved into a popular event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
Swift Service
The multi-million-dollar tuna was quickly prepared for diners at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," shared one satisfied diner.
