A 276-kilogram bluefin tuna was sold at auction for 207 million yen (around US$1.3 million). Reuters
A massive bluefin tuna, roughly the size of a motorcycle, was sold for an astonishing $1.3 million (207 million yen) at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market on January 5, marking the second-highest price ever achieved during the prestigious New Year auction. The 608-pound (276-kilogram) fish was claimed by the Onodera Group, a renowned chain of Michelin-starred sushi restaurants, which placed the winning bid.
This auction, held at the world’s largest seafood wholesale market, has become a significant event for both local chefs and restaurants. The Onodera Group, known for its high-end dining establishments like Sushi Ginza Onodera in Tokyo and Los Angeles, has now paid the highest price at the New Year auction for five consecutive years. Last year, they bought a bluefin tuna for over $720,000 (114.2 million yen), but this year’s catch set a new record for them, although still far from the market’s all-time highest bid of $3.1 million (333.6 million yen) in 2019.
The New Year’s tuna auction holds special cultural significance in Japan. Many participants believe that securing the first tuna of the year will bring good luck, and it's seen as an opportunity to start the year off on a positive note. “The year’s first tuna brings good luck. We want to make people smile with food,” said Shinji Nagao, the president of Sushi Onodera.
The giant bluefin tuna was caught off the coast of Oma, located in Aomori, a region known for its premium tuna. The fisherman behind the catch, 73-year-old Masahiro Takeuchi, expressed his joy over the sale. “I’m always worried about how many more years I’ll be able to keep fishing like this,” he shared, adding that this catch was a proud moment for him.
The Toyosu fish market, which opened in 1935 and moved to a man-made island in 2019, remains one of Tokyo’s iconic sites for both locals and tourists. While the relocation to Toyosu was met with mixed reactions, with some lamenting the loss of the historic Tsukiji market, the new location boasts more advanced facilities and continues to attract attention from buyers worldwide.
Bluefin tuna are known for their size, reaching up to 10 feet in length and weighing as much as 1,500 pounds. Unfortunately, due to overfishing and illegal fishing practices, bluefin tuna populations have significantly declined, making them an endangered species. Despite these challenges, the immense popularity of bluefin tuna continues to drive prices at auctions to extraordinary heights, and it remains a symbol of both luxury and tradition in Japan.
