Bluefin Fish Fetches Unprecedented Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo Auction

A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna created waves at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the year.

The top offer for the 243kg fish came from the parent firm of a well-known sushi chain, which manages restaurants across the country and abroad.

"The year's tuna heralds good luck," remarked the company president, a notable bidder at the annual new year's auction.

Known as the King of Tuna, this businessman is noted for making high bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions.

Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent

After the auction, the successful bidder told reporters that he was "taken aback at the winning bid," adding, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little cheaper, but the price skyrocketed in no time."

This latest acquisition tops his own record purchases:

• He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
• He paid 155 million yen in 2013.
• In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).

Even after previously saying that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to surpass his own record another time.

A Tradition of High Prices

The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously known for sky-high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be featured at its restaurants throughout the country.

The high-energy atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has transformed into a must-see event 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 sliced up for diners at the winner's sushi chains immediately after the auction concluded.

"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," said one satisfied diner.