🔗 Share this article Bluefin Tuna Commands Unprecedented Bid of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo Auction A familiar auction figure is a prominent face at the yearly event. A massive Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines 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 market's inaugural auction of the year. The successful bid for the 243-kilogram fish was placed by the operator of a nationwide sushi restaurant group, which manages restaurants throughout Japan and overseas. "The first tuna signals good luck," commented the business owner, a familiar bidder at the annual January sale. Dubbed the King of Tuna, this businessman is renowned for making high bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious new year auctions. Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Past After the auction, the successful bidder informed reporters that he was "astonished at the amount," stating, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This latest purchase tops his own historic purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He bid 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after once remarking that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to surpass his own record another time. A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously associated with sky-high prices. Last year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be available at its eateries nationwide. The high-energy activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling. From Auction to Plate The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for diners at the bidder's sushi chains soon after the auction concluded. "I sense like I've commenced the year in a positive way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," shared one satisfied patron.
A familiar auction figure is a prominent face at the yearly event. A massive Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines 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 market's inaugural auction of the year. The successful bid for the 243-kilogram fish was placed by the operator of a nationwide sushi restaurant group, which manages restaurants throughout Japan and overseas. "The first tuna signals good luck," commented the business owner, a familiar bidder at the annual January sale. Dubbed the King of Tuna, this businessman is renowned for making high bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious new year auctions. Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Past After the auction, the successful bidder informed reporters that he was "astonished at the amount," stating, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This latest purchase tops his own historic purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He bid 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after once remarking that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to surpass his own record another time. A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously associated with sky-high prices. Last year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be available at its eateries nationwide. The high-energy activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling. From Auction to Plate The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for diners at the bidder's sushi chains soon after the auction concluded. "I sense like I've commenced the year in a positive way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," shared one satisfied patron.