- A 276kg bluefin tuna sold for 207 million yen ($1.3 million) in Tokyo‘s New Year auction.
- This marks the second-highest price ever at the market’s opening auction since 1999.
- The Onodera Group, known for its Michelin-starred sushi restaurants, made the record purchase.
A colossal bluefin tuna weighing 276 kilograms (608 pounds) fetched 207 million yen ($1.3 million) in Tokyo’s renowned fish market auction. The Onodera Group, a Michelin-starred sushi chain, was the winning bidder, marking the second-highest price ever recorded.
The tuna, which was described as “as fat as a cow” by the fisherman who caught it, was considered a significant prize for the auction, as the first tuna of the year is believed to bring good fortune.
Massive Bluefin Tuna Sells for $1.3 Million in Tokyo’s New Year Auction
In the first auction of the year at Tokyo’s famous fish market, a bluefin tuna weighing 276 kilograms (608 pounds) was sold for 207 million yen ($1.3 million), marking the second-highest auction price recorded since 1999. The Onodera Group, a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant chain, won the bidding. Their purchase was viewed as both a lucrative investment and a symbol of hope for Japan’s economic revival.
This tuna’s weight and size were comparable to a motorcycle, and the fisherman who caught it, Masahiro Takeuchi, remarked that it was “as fat as a cow.” Such large tuna are rare and highly prized in Japan, especially during the New Year auction, which is a major event for the country’s culinary world.
In a historic auction in 2019, a bluefin tuna fetched a record 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million), making it the highest-ever price for the prized fish. That year marked the move of the market from its traditional Tsukiji location to the newer Toyosu facility. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw prices plummet in previous years, the latest sale reflects a strong recovery.
The Onodera Group, which paid 114 million yen for the tuna in 2024, is known for its top-tier sushi and continues to dominate the market with its record bids. They hope that the tuna will not only bring financial success but also symbolize good fortune for the upcoming year.
The high price of the bluefin tuna reinforces Japan’s culinary prestige and marks a symbolic step toward economic recovery, drawing media attention and signaling optimism for the future.
“The first tuna is something meant to bring in good fortune.” This quote from Onodera Group’s Shinji Nagao reflects the cultural and economic significance of the New Year tuna auction in Japan.
