A single bluefin tuna stole the spotlight at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market, selling for a record-breaking sum and marking a spectacular start to 2026.
A Record-Breaking Bid
At the predawn New Year auction, a 243-kilogram bluefin tuna fetched 510 million yen, or around €2.78 million. The winning bid came from Kiyomura Corp., owned by Kiyoshi Kimura, the founder of the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura, a regular at these auctions, surpassed his own previous record of 334 million yen set in 2019. “I was hoping to pay a bit less, but the price shot up before you knew it,” he told reporters.
The Fame of Oma Tuna
The prized fish was caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, a region celebrated for producing some of the nation’s finest bluefin. At the auction, bidders examined rows of torpedo-shaped tuna with their tails removed, checking the color, texture, and fat content before placing bids. This tuna sold for 2.1 million yen, or €11,500 per kilogram. Kimura explained that part of the purchase was for good luck, but he also could not resist such a remarkable specimen. “I haven’t sampled it yet, but it’s got to be delicious,” he said.
Tradition Meets Conservation
While hundreds of tuna are sold at Toyosu daily, prices spike at the New Year auction, especially for prized Oma catches. Pacific bluefin tuna, once threatened by overfishing and climate change, have seen populations recover thanks to conservation efforts. The recovery has allowed Japan to continue enjoying high-quality tuna while promoting sustainable fishing practices.
