🔗 Share this article Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Unprecedented Bid of $3.2m at Tokyo Auction The 'Tuna King' is a well-known face at the annual bidding war. A massive bluefin tuna made headlines 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 opening auction of the calendar year. The successful offer for the 535-pound fish came from the company of a well-known sushi chain, which runs outlets domestically and abroad. "The year's tuna signals a prosperous start," stated the company president, a regular figure at the annual new year's auction. Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is renowned for submitting substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions. Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Past After the auction, the successful bidder informed journalists that he was "astonished at the amount," noting, "I expected we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This new acquisition surpasses his own notable purchases: He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He bid 155 million yen in 2013. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million). Despite once saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to shatter his own record yet again. A Tradition of High Prices The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be served at its eateries nationwide. The intense activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has transformed into a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling. Immediate Consumption The extremely valuable tuna was promptly sliced up for diners at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments soon after the auction was finished. "I believe like I've started the year in a positive way after tasting something so auspicious as the year begins," said one elated patron.
The 'Tuna King' is a well-known face at the annual bidding war. A massive bluefin tuna made headlines 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 opening auction of the calendar year. The successful offer for the 535-pound fish came from the company of a well-known sushi chain, which runs outlets domestically and abroad. "The year's tuna signals a prosperous start," stated the company president, a regular figure at the annual new year's auction. Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is renowned for submitting substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions. Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Past After the auction, the successful bidder informed journalists that he was "astonished at the amount," noting, "I expected we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This new acquisition surpasses his own notable purchases: He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He bid 155 million yen in 2013. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million). Despite once saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now gone on to shatter his own record yet again. A Tradition of High Prices The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is notoriously characterized by exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be served at its eateries nationwide. The intense activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has transformed into a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling. Immediate Consumption The extremely valuable tuna was promptly sliced up for diners at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments soon after the auction was finished. "I believe like I've started the year in a positive way after tasting something so auspicious as the year begins," said one elated patron.