🔗 Share this article Bluefin Tuna Commands Unprecedented Price of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction The 'Tuna King' is a prominent face at the traditional sale. A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the calendar year. The winning bid for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the parent firm of a nationwide sushi restaurant group, which manages outlets throughout Japan and abroad. "An inaugural tuna brings a prosperous start," remarked the entrepreneur, a notable participant at the yearly January sale. Known as the Tuna King, this businessman is renowned for submitting record bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions. Auction Shock and Historic Past Following the auction, the winner told reporters that he was "taken aback at the final price," stating, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This most recent purchase tops his own notable purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012. He spent 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m). Despite previously saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now managed to shatter his personal record once again. An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally known for exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another food company, which indicated the fish would be available at its restaurants across Japan. The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has become a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no different. Immediate Consumption The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for diners at the winner's sushi establishments shortly after the auction was finished. "I feel like I've started the year in a auspicious way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," remarked one satisfied patron.
The 'Tuna King' is a prominent face at the traditional sale. A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the calendar year. The winning bid for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the parent firm of a nationwide sushi restaurant group, which manages outlets throughout Japan and abroad. "An inaugural tuna brings a prosperous start," remarked the entrepreneur, a notable participant at the yearly January sale. Known as the Tuna King, this businessman is renowned for submitting record bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions. Auction Shock and Historic Past Following the auction, the winner told reporters that he was "taken aback at the final price," stating, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This most recent purchase tops his own notable purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012. He spent 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m). Despite previously saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now managed to shatter his personal record once again. An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally known for exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another food company, which indicated the fish would be available at its restaurants across Japan. The intense atmosphere at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has become a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no different. Immediate Consumption The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for diners at the winner's sushi establishments shortly after the auction was finished. "I feel like I've started the year in a auspicious way after eating something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," remarked one satisfied patron.