Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Unprecedented Price of $3.2m at Japanese Capital New Year Sale
A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a historic bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the calendar year.
The winning offer for the 243kg fish was placed by the company of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which operates locations throughout Japan and internationally.
"The year's tuna signals a prosperous start," stated the entrepreneur, a regular participant at the traditional January sale.
Dubbed the Tuna King, this businessman is famous for placing record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these auspicious year-opening auctions.
Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent
Following the auction, the winner admitted to journalists that he was "astonished at the final price," noting, "I believed we would be able to purchase it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."
This new acquisition tops his previous notable purchases:
- He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
- He spent 155 million yen in 2013.
- In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).
Despite once saying that he thought he "did too much," he has now managed to surpass his own record once again.
An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids
The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally characterized by exorbitant prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be featured at its eateries 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 commenced around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
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The extremely valuable tuna was shortly thereafter prepared for customers at the winner's sushi establishments soon after the auction concluded.
"I sense like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," remarked one elated patron.