🔗 Share this article Bluefin Tuna Fetches Unprecedented Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo Auction The 'Tuna King' is a well-known presence at the yearly sale. A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the new year. The winning offer for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a popular sushi restaurant group, which runs locations across the country and abroad. "The first tuna signals a prosperous start," commented the business owner, a notable figure at the yearly January sale. Known as the Tuna King, this businessman is noted for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic year-opening auctions. Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past After the auction, the successful bidder told the press that he was "astonished at the winning bid," adding, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little cheaper, but the price soared rapidly." This most recent purchase exceeds his own historic purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He spent 155 million yen in 2013. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to shatter his personal record once again. An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by exorbitant prices. Last year, the first tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which indicated the fish would be served at its restaurants throughout the country. The intense energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has become a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different. Immediate Consumption The multi-million-dollar tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the bidder's sushi chains soon after the auction concluded. "I feel like I've started the year in a positive way after tasting something so lucky as the year begins," remarked one happy customer.
The 'Tuna King' is a well-known presence at the yearly sale. A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the new year. The winning offer for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a popular sushi restaurant group, which runs locations across the country and abroad. "The first tuna signals a prosperous start," commented the business owner, a notable figure at the yearly January sale. Known as the Tuna King, this businessman is noted for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic year-opening auctions. Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past After the auction, the successful bidder told the press that he was "astonished at the winning bid," adding, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little cheaper, but the price soared rapidly." This most recent purchase exceeds his own historic purchases: He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He spent 155 million yen in 2013. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to shatter his personal record once again. An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by exorbitant prices. Last year, the first tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which indicated the fish would be served at its restaurants throughout the country. The intense energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has become a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was no different. Immediate Consumption The multi-million-dollar tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the bidder's sushi chains soon after the auction concluded. "I feel like I've started the year in a positive way after tasting something so lucky as the year begins," remarked one happy customer.