🔗 Share this article Bluefin Tuna Fetches Unprecedented Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale The winning bidder is a well-known face at the annual event. A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the year. The winning bid for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which runs locations domestically and overseas. "The year's tuna signals good luck," stated the business owner, a regular bidder at the yearly January sale. Known as the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is renowned for submitting high bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions. Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past Following the auction, the winner told journalists that he was "taken aback at the final price," noting, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This new purchase tops his own historic purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012. He spent 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after previously remarking that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to break his personal record yet again. A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for exceptionally high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be available at its locations throughout the country. The high-energy atmosphere 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 no exception. Immediate Consumption The extremely valuable tuna was promptly sliced up for diners at the entrepreneur's sushi restaurants soon after the auction concluded. "I believe like I've begun the year in a positive way after tasting something so lucky as the year gets underway," shared one elated diner.
The winning bidder is a well-known face at the annual event. A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the year. The winning bid for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which runs locations domestically and overseas. "The year's tuna signals good luck," stated the business owner, a regular bidder at the yearly January sale. Known as the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is renowned for submitting high bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions. Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past Following the auction, the winner told journalists that he was "taken aback at the final price," noting, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This new purchase tops his own historic purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012. He spent 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after previously remarking that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to break his personal record yet again. A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for exceptionally high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be available at its locations throughout the country. The high-energy atmosphere 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 no exception. Immediate Consumption The extremely valuable tuna was promptly sliced up for diners at the entrepreneur's sushi restaurants soon after the auction concluded. "I believe like I've begun the year in a positive way after tasting something so lucky as the year gets underway," shared one elated diner.