Bluefin Tuna Fetches Historic Price of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo New Year Sale
A substantial bluefin tuna created waves at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the calendar year.
The top bid for the 535-pound fish was placed by the company of a well-known sushi chain, which manages locations domestically and internationally.
"An inaugural tuna heralds a prosperous start," stated the company president, a familiar figure at the traditional January sale.
Dubbed the Tuna King, this businessman is noted for making substantial bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic new year auctions.
Bidding Surprise and Historic Past
Following the auction, the successful bidder admitted to reporters that he was "astonished at the winning bid," adding, "I expected we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price soared before you knew it."
This latest acquisition exceeds his own record purchases:
- He bid 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).
Despite once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to break his personal record another time.
A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids
The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically associated with sky-high prices. Last year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate culinary group, which indicated the fish would be available at its eateries across Japan.
The intense activity at the fish market during these early morning auctions has evolved into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
Immediate Consumption
The multi-million-dollar tuna was promptly prepared for patrons at the bidder's sushi establishments soon after the auction ended.
"I believe like I've started the year in a positive way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year gets underway," said one satisfied customer.
